In March, YouTube acquired the high-profile indie feature Viper Club, starring Oscar winner Susan Sarandon. The film follows an emergency room nurse who must take drastic measures to free her war correspondent son after he is captured by terrorists.
And now, Variety reports that Viper Club is set to become YouTube’s first feature film to have a theatrical debut following a pact with distributor Roadside Attractions. Viper Club will arrive in theaters on Oct. 26 — making it eligible for Academy and Golden Globe Awards — before rolling out to YouTube’s $10 subscription platform in 2019. In the past, YouTube has premiered buzzy original films, including the Gigi Gorgeous-starring documentary This Is Everything, exclusively on its own platform.
Viper Club, previously titled Vulture Club, is directed by Maryam Keshavarz, who also co-wrote the script with Jonathan Mastro. Keshavarz’s debut feature, Circumstance, won the audience award at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. The film also stars Matt Bomer and Lola Kirke. YouTube Premium is also readying projects with other Hollywood stars like Gael Garcia Bernal, Kirsten Dunst, and Jordan Peele.
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“Susan Sarandon immediately drew us into this emotional drama, and Maryam Keshavarz lends her unique perspective as an Iranian-American filmmaker,” stated Susanne Daniels, YouTube’s global head of original content. “The extremely talented cast delivered powerful performances, and we are thrilled to debut this film at the Toronto International Film Festival and partner with Roadside to bring the film to theaters this fall.”
