Dumb Money

Source: Black Bear Pictures

‘Dumb Money’

Sony Pictures has switched around the release of Dumb Money, its GameStop meme stock film starring Paul Dano, from the original September 22 wide release to a four-step platform release.

Designed to build word of mouth starting with the TIFF Gala Presentations world premiere on September 8, Craig Gillespie’s film will launch exclusively in Los Angeles and New York on September 15, expand into a September 22 limited release, then boost up to a moderate release on September 29, before going wide over the October 6-9 Columbus Day holiday weekend.

Without cast being able to promote the film as long as the SAG-AFTRA strike continues, studios and distributors are pivoting to make best use of their slots.

Sony has already postponed the North American release of Gran Turismo: Based On A True Story from August 11 to August 25 and has been scheduling preview screenings to generate buzz. That film launched in its first wave of international markets last weekend, earning $10.7m from 30.

Dumb Money is a David vs. Goliath tale, based on ordinary people who sniffed an opportunity to get rich by turning the GameStop shopping mall videogame store into one of the investment market’s hottest bets.

Rounding out the key cast are Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, Shailene Woodley and Seth Rogen.

Lauren Schuker Blum and Rebecca Angelo, adapted the screenplay from Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network.

Producers are Aaron Ryder, Teddy Schwarzman and Gillespie, while the executive roster includes Michael Heimler, John Friedberg, Johnny Holland, Mezrich, Blum, Andrew Swett, Angelo, and Kevin Ulrich.

The roster includes Cameron Winklevoss and Tyler Winklevoss, the American cryptocurrency investor twins and former Olympic rowers who settled a lawsuit against Facebook Mark Zuckerberg after they alleged he stole their idea for a social network.

Sony Pictures holds rights to the Black Bear Pictures film in the US, Latin America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, South Africa, India and select Asian markets.