Netflix Takes U.S. Rights To Pablo Larraín’s ‘Maria’ Starring Angelina Jolie

Netflix has snapped up U.S. rights to Maria, the biopic of opera singer Maria Callas, teaming Spencer helmer Pablo Larraín and Angelina Jolie, which is premiering Thursday at the Venice Film Festival.

This is Netflix’s second film with Larraín directing following last year’s El Conde, which received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. The project marks the seventh production partnership between Netflix and the filmmaker’s banner Fabula, including Maite Alberdi’s upcoming film In Her Place.

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A creative imagining and a psychological portrait of Maria Callas, Maria takes place in the ’70s near the end of opera legend Callas’ life. It’s a story about a woman who lived from the ’20s to ’70s — a woman who burned her voice, her life, by doing what she loved.

Oscar nominee Steven Knight (Spencer) wrote the script, with Juan de Dios Larraín, Lorenzo Mieli and Jonas Dornbach producing. The project hails from The Apartment, a Fremantle Company, as well as Fabula, Komplizen and Fremantle. Others in the cast include Oscar nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino and Valeria Golino.

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“I’m excited to partner again with the Netflix team who care so passionately about movies. This film is my most personal work yet” said Larraín. “It is a creative imagining and psychological portrait of Maria Callas who, after dedicating her life to performing for audiences around the world, decides finally to find her own voice, her own identity, and sing for herself. I’m deeply honored to tell this story and share it with audiences worldwide like Maria did with her life.”

Added Netflix’s Chairman of Film Dan Lin on the acquisition: “I’m excited that we are continuing to work with Pablo and Fabula – this is our seventh project with them, most recently with El Conde, and they are producing the upcoming In Her Place. Pablo continues a remarkable streak of exploring iconic women through film, this time with the incredible Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas.”

Andrea Scrosati, Group COO & CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle, commented: “We are delighted that Pablo Larraín’s extraordinary piece of filmmaking, Maria, with its incredible performance by Angelina Jolie, has found its US home at Netflix. I know they will give it the best possible support and we are grateful to Glen and his FilmNation team for spearheading the sale.”

Following its Venice premiere, Maria will go on to screen at the New York Film Festival.

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