Lionsgate has announced a new film, Antebellum, which will star Janelle Monáe and written and directed by advocacy filmmakers Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz. The new release will premiere as Premium On-Demand on September 18, while hitting theaters in international markets.
The announcement was made by Joe Drake, Chairman, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, who is aiming to capitalize on the various ways movie watchers are currently viewing films.
“While the theatrical experience will always be the heart of our business, we are thrilled that we are able to seize the opportunity to match Gerard and Chris’s urgent and immediate film with a release strategy befitting this moment of extraordinary change,” said Drake. “Gerard and Chris are storytellers whose work beats with authenticity – not only will this film entertain and thrill audiences worldwide, but spark a discussion about our current world.”
Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz added, “While we designed Antebellum to be consumed as a communal experience in the theater, we are thrilled by the unique opportunity we have to pivot to a different kind of communal moment in our culture. As we face the realities of systemic racism in our country, which have crescendoed to this current inflection point in 2020, we understand how imperative it is to bring Antebellum to the broadest audience possible, while also prioritizing health and safety. It is our ardent hope that by sharing our film widely, both nationally and internationally, we will transform the moviegoing experience from home into a true event.”
Monáe will play Veronica Henley, an author herself trapped in a horrifying reality that forces her to confront the past, present and future – before it’s too late. The film also stars Eric Lange, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Gabourey Sidibe and more.
