Brie Larson’s feature directorial debut premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival and went on to screen at the 2018 Edinburgh International Film Festival, but after that the quirky coming-of-age story seemed to fall off the map. In news that slipped under our radar but hopefully not yours, “Unicorn Store” has found a home. While accepting the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society’s trailblazer award earlier this month, Larson announced that Netflix acquired the title. According to a press release, the comedy will begin streaming this April. And there’s more good news from Larson’s camp: Deadline reports that she and fellow “Unicorn Store” producer Howell Taylor have joined forces with Endeavor Content “to acquire the rights to develop ‘Lady Business,’ after Endeavor Content’s Negeen Yazdi found the article.” The feature is being developed at Netflix, with plans for Larson to star and possibly direct.
Penned by Samantha McIntyre. “Unicorn Store” tells the story of Kit (Larson), an aspiring artist who gets kicked out of art school and moves back in with her parents. Unfulfilled at her temp job but struggling to make it work, Kit’s life changes when she receives a mysterious invitation that may lead to her biggest dream coming true: owning a unicorn. In addition to starring and directing, Larson produced “Unicorn Store.”
“It’s not an easy time in the world right now so I hope that, in the old tradition of films being a form of escapism and a way to dream, this film can do that,” Larson said in a statement.
“For me, the idea of going after this unicorn was dreaming the impossible dream,” the Oscar winner told us. “The fact that I wanted to be an actor for so long and was told ‘no’ so many times kind of made me feel a little crazy; I was like a person going after a unicorn. There were all these people scratching their heads and going, ‘Why are you doing this? This is obviously never going to work out.’ So, this is, in some ways, an homage to my life and my journey and hopefully a way to inspire others to keep going on their path, whatever their unicorn is.”
Based on a Fast Company article by John Paul Titlow, “Lady Business” “tells the true story of two young female entrepreneurs, Penelope Gazin and Kate Dwyer, who had to invent a third male company founder in order to be taken seriously in the business world,” Deadline writes. Larson is among the project’s producers. No word on who will co-star with her in the feature.
“The Glass Castle” and “Kong: Skull Island” are among Larson’s recent credits. She won an Oscar in 2016 for “Room.” The multi-hyphenate will next be seen in “Captain Marvel.” Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s superhero pic opens March 8. An outspoken proponent of inclusion behind the scenes, on-screen, and in film criticism, the “Short Term 12” actress has said that she’ll be “pushing for representation across the board” during the press tour for Marvel’s first women-centric and women-directed title
Larson previously co-wrote and co-directed “The Arm,” a short which took home the jury prize at Sundance 2012.
