The David Geffen Theater at the Academy Museum hosted its first film premiere for a psychological thriller starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie, with director Edgar Wright paying homage to Diana Rigg.
Before 8 p.m., Focus Features’ Peter Kujawski was jumping at the opportunity to connect gray skies to Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho when he stood on stage inside the Academy Museum’s David Geffen Theater. “I hope you noticed that we didn’t skimp on the expense of importing the London weather for today’s full authenticity of the experience,” said the chairman. “And thank you so much for coming out in such bad weather and being here to celebrate this fantastic movie.”
Anya Taylor-Joy was seen at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on October 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California for Focus Features’ premiere of “Last Night In Soho.”
Kuzjawski introduced Wright to the stage, and he wasted no time in admitting that he wanted to use a similar joke, but out of options, he turned his attention to gratitude for being the first film premiere to be held within Academy’s jewel of a theater. “It’s such an honor,” he remarked, immediately adding that it is a great honor to go through any screening today. “It’s wonderful to be in a room together while watching any film, not just this one. We are all very fortunate because we get to do this.”
“I thank Focus, Universal, Film4, Working Title and Complete Fiction for allowing me to carve my own path in the business by making ‘original films,’” He added “I don’t take any of it for granted at all, and the opportunity to create original films and be seen across the world is extremely inspiring.”
Monday evening, visitors to the city were greeted by producers Nira Park, Eric Fellner, Leonora “Leo” Thompson, sound editor Julian Slater, Universal chairman Donna Langley, Focus vice chairman Jason Cassidy, Universal president Abhijay Prakash, and guests Annette Bening, Taika Waititi (as Korg from Ragnarok) and Edgar Wright.
In the film Last Night in Soho, Anya Taylor-Joy and Thomasin McKenzie play a young fashion student (McKenzie) who moves to London to pursue her ambitions, only to be plagued by night terrors when she turns into an aspiring pop singer named Sandie in the 1960s. This weekend, after being delayed several times due to the COVID-19 epidemic, the film will premiere. Wright said it’s been an “emotional journey” to get here; a moment worth celebrating, but not without pause because one of the film’s main actresses, Diana Rigg, died last September at the age of 82.
“This is her final performance,” Wright added. “We’re disappointed she isn’t here to join us in celebrating, but I’m happy we were able to get to know and work with her, and so I really hope you enjoy her in the film and that we can hold a vesper for Diana Rigg after it’s over.”
There was a lot to be proud of. Both Wright and his co-writer Krysty Wilson-Cairns (1917) were ecstatic about a tweet from horror master Stephen King that he posted less than 24 hours before the premiere on the red carpet. “I got a sneak peek at Last Night in Soho,” the author wrote, “and I’m going to see it again when it opens Friday. I seldom rewatch anything because there are so many wonderful things out there; but this one is unique. It has the potential to be really interesting.”
During a time when theaters are desperately seeking help, Wright was both floored by the compliment and by the promise for repeat business. “I don’t think I would have come up with this film if I hadn’t read his novels when I was a teenager, like 13 or 14,” Wright concluded. “Apart from the fact that he was a horror writer, he also seemed to have a lot of musical references in his writing, and I remember that very well.”
“I’m on the same wavelength as Wilson-Cairns,” he added. “I grew up reading Stephen King and was ecstatic when Edgar tweeted it to me, so I sent it straight to my mother in the middle of the night in England and she called me screaming. I’m a huge fan of Stephen King, and receiving praise and comments from him is something I’d consider a dream come true.”
She was already pinching herself, knowing she’d be working with her close friend. “Working with Edgar is such a delight,” Wilson-Cairns said. “He’s a brilliant collaborator and a fantastic buddy. It was like going to work with a buddy every day, discussing films and music, and trying to come up with something new, unexpected, and unique. He’s such an amazing director that I truly respect him. It was an honor to be in the same room as him.”
It’s no secret that David Wright has big box-office dreams for his film, and he clearly wants audiences to flock out to multiplexes this weekend. He went on to talk about how he’d just arrived in L.A. a few days ago, and how he’d sneaked away for a double feature, seeing Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings along with Malignant. “That was a nice afternoon,” he added. “It should be everyone working together. I was there the moment they opened in the United Kingdom, and I’m here now. When I came to America, it was the same way. Anything that succeeds is beneficial to the company. The most essential thing for cinema’s survival is that people return to theaters on their own initiative; this is something I wish to be able to do for myself as a customer.”
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