After releasing two Oscar Best Picture nominees in The Irishman and Marriage Story, Netflix is set to tackle the Academy Awards in 2021. Netflix has acquired all rights to the untitled Leonard Bernstein film that Bradley Cooper will direct, star in and produce from the script he co-wrote with Oscar-winning Spotlight writer Josh Singer. The project exits Paramount, which set the film as a priority project in May 2018. While the project exits Paramount, Amblin remains f part of the drama that spans over 30 years in telling the complex story of the marriage between Bernstein and his wife, Felicia Montealegre.
Netflix will join producers Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Cooper and his Joint Effort producing partner, Academy Award nominee, Todd Phillips, Kristie Macosko Krieger, and The Irishman and Joker double Oscar-nominated producer Emma Tillinger Koskoff, and Fred Berner and Amy Durning.
Netflix Head of Film Scott Stuber spoke to Deadline and stated,
“Bradley’s directorial debut was nothing short of brilliant and he quickly cemented himself as a serious filmmaker,”
“His strong passion and clear vision for bringing to life the relationship between the iconic composer Leonard Bernstein and his wife Felicia Montealegre promises to do their lives justice as only this renowned filmmaking team can. We are honored to be working with the Bernsteins to share their family’s story with audiences everywhere.”
