Oscilloscope Picks Up Sophia Takal's Thriller 'Act One' for 2027

Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired U.S. rights to Sophia Takal's psychosexual thriller "Act One" and will release it in theaters in 2027.

The deal reunites Takal with the indie distributor behind her 2016 film "Always Shine." Takal also directed the 2019 remake of "Black Christmas." "Act One" debuted at the Tribeca Festival on June 10.

Ella Beatty, who stars in "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story," leads the cast as Hannah, a sheltered seventeen-year-old aspiring actress. The film follows Hannah as she joins an elite acting studio run by its magnetic founder, Melanie, played by Ari Graynor.

What is the film about?

Per the press release: "Drawn to Melanie's intensity and increasingly extreme methods, Hannah throws herself into the work. But as dedication turns to obsession and the lines between performance, desire and manipulation blur, she is pulled into a dangerous game that tests how far she'll go to become the artist she wants to be."

The supporting cast includes:

• Sinclair Daniel ("Insidious: The Red Door")
• Tavi Gevinson ("Gossip Girl")
• Elizabeth Reaser ("Twilight")
• Robert Sean Leonard ("House")

What did Takal say about the deal?

"I'm thrilled Oscilloscope is releasing 'Act One,'" Takal said. "Getting to work with them again after 'Always Shine' feels like a homecoming. It's heartening to know there are people out there with the taste, nerve and good sense to champion movies like ours. I can't wait for audiences to see the incredible work of all the talented people who made this film!"

Who produced it?

The producers are Takal, Allison Rose Carter (Savage Rose Films), Julie Christeas (Tandem Pictures), Jon Read (Savage Rose Films), Stephanie Roush (Foxglove Films) and Julie Waters (Watermark Media). Executive producers are Evan Dyal of Watermark Media, Ryan Kampe of Visit Films, Lawrence Michael Levine, Allison and Jon Stockel, and Marilyn White.

The 2027 theatrical window gives Oscilloscope a long runway for a festival title that arrived at Tribeca with its distribution already an open question. For Takal, the homecoming now comes with a release date attached.

By Daniel Okafor