“Late Night” is hitting theaters this summer. Amazon Studios will release Nisha Ganatra’s breakout Sundance comedy nationwide June 7, Variety confirms.
Penned by Mindy Kaling and inspired by her own experiences as the only female staff writer on “The Office,” “Late Night” sees Emma Thompson playing a late-night host who hires her first female writer (Kaling) under pressure to make her writers’ room more diverse.
“Late Night” landed one of the biggest deals out of Sundance, with Amazon claiming U.S. rights to the pic for $13 million.
When we asked Ganatra what drew her to the project she said, “Mindy and I share a lot in common of our experiences in Hollywood and she captured them in a funny and poignant way. Also, in two words: Emma Thompson. This is a comedy and the combination of Mindy and Emma was guaranteed to be comedy magic,” she explained.
The “Chutney Popcorn” filmmaker added, “I want to tell stories of people that are missing on screen. Women, immigrants, people of color, girls. I think film is such a powerful medium that it has the ability to affect social change in a significant way. And that’s why I chose to tell stories on film. Basically, to change the world. I like to keep humble goals!”
Other women-directed titles on Amazon Studios’ 2019 slate include Bert & Bertie’s “Troop Zero,” a comedy about a nine-year-old girl obsessed with space, and Alma Har’el’s “Honey Boy,” a drama based on Shia LaBeouf’s childhood and his relationship with his father.
