Following six Oscar nominations for his directorial debut A Star is Born, including nods for Best Actor and Best Picture, Bradley Cooper is set to direct, produce, and star in a new film for Netflix. It will tell the story of Leonard Bernstein and his complex relationship with his wife, Felicia Montealegre.
Cooper has already been in talks with the composer’s three children in order to co-create the script alongside Josh Singer (Spotlight), and many prestigious directors are already on-board as producers. These include: Martin Scorsese, Todd Phillips and Steven Spielberg.
Scorsese already made his debut with Netflix last year with the release of the gangster memory-lane film, The Irishman, earning him 10 Oscar nominations. While he’s yet to create anything for Netflix, Todd Phillips’ R-rated comic film, Joker (starring Joaquin Phoenix), has been a hot topic recently and stole the spotlight at the Oscar nominations with a grand total of 11.
Ironically, however, Steven Spielberg (who uses Bernstein’s music in his 2020 remake of West Side Story) will be joining Cooper, Scorsese, Phillips, and more in production. This film will allow Netflix to make a deal with the director, despite how vocal he has recently been with his dislike for streaming services. Spielberg protested that there should be a theatrical window for Netflix films before they can be nominated for an Oscar, which met with criticism from fans and the company last year.
Although production isn’t due to start until early next year, it has already been rumoured that this will happen. Just like Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story and Scorsese’s The Irishman, which have earned 16 Oscar nominations between them, the untitled Leonard Bernstein film will likely see a theatrical release before it is available on Netflix.
As it was revealed yesterday that Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley, starring Bradley Cooper, had begun filming, it might be a while before we get anymore updates on this upcoming film. Keep your eyes peeled here at The Indiependent for more news.
Words by Libby Briggs