UPDATE, Dec. 30, 1:20 p.m. PST — Warner Bros. will give a limited U.S. theatrical release in New York and Los Angeles for “Lost River,” Ryan Gosling‘s much-derided directorial debut, in the early second quarter along with a day and date release on digital platforms.
Variety had reported initially on Monday that there would be no theatrical release.
“Lost River” premiered to mostly negative notices in May at the Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section.
Variety’s Justin Chang gave it a pan: “‘Lost’ is indeed the operative word for this violent fairy tale about a fractured family trying to survive among the ruins of a city overrun by thugs, sexual predators and other demons….”
The film stars Christina Hendricks, Eva Mendes, Matt Smith, Saoirse Ronan and Iain De Caestecker. The script, written by Gosling, centers on a single mother swept into a dark fantasy underworld while her teenage son discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town.
Warner Bros. acquired U.S. rights in 2013 during Cannes, where Sierra/Affinity sold international rights to 20 markets. The film, which was shot in Detroit, was called “How to Catch a Monster” at that point.
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Production companies are Marc Platt, Phantasma Films and Bold Films production. Producers are Platt, Gosling, Adam Siegel, Michel Litvak and David Lancaster.
News about “Lost River” being released in the second quarter was first reported by Collider.com.
