TONY and GRAMMY Award Winner Ben Platt is a star on the rise. Originating the titular role in widely-acclaimed and Toronto-bound DEAR EVAN HANSEN on Broadway, he is getting plenty of buzz for his starring role in Writer/Director Ricky Tollman‘s RUN THIS TOWN. He also has starred in the successful PITCH PERFECT Franchise and also THE BOOK OF MORMON.
RUN THIS TOWN stars Damian Lewis (Billions, Homeland) as Rob Ford and also Nina Dobrev and Mena Massoud, the latter who recently wrapped Disney‘s upcoming live-action adaptation of Aladdin in which he stars in the title role.
Synopsis:
Run This Town follows a young journalist (Platt), desperate to prove himself, who catches wind of a scandal involving a flashy, unpredictable politician with no filter (Lewis). Political aides (Massoud and Dobrev) attempt to keep their boss in check – and the story under wraps – in order to save their jobs. The Film tells the story of the Millennial generation while spotlighting the power dynamics operating in today’s workplace.
Platt has drummed-up a bit of controversy being targeted with criticism online from some who have mistakened the Film as being a biographical account of Ford‘s life, not crediting the outstanding investigative journalism of Robyn Dolittle. It has been confirmed that the Film is in fact fictional, set against the backdrop of a Ford-run Toronto.
We spotted Platt after a day of hard work in what is a compressed filming schedule, set to complete in under one month. He was awesome to stop for a Snap, as was Massoud, who just arrived from Los Angeles, greeted by hoards of fans and autograph seekers upon arrival. A hero’s welcome home for the Toronto talent.
See our Snaps:
It is believed this Film is targetting a premiere at TIFF ’18 and we need to see this! Elevation Pictures will be handling its release in Canada.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
While Toronto has been Pilot and TV Series-heavy in terms of filming, something interesting is on the horizon. We are hearing through a source that a new Film titled RUN THIS TOWN will be filming in the City around April. It will star TONY winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) and Toronto’s Mena Massoud who will play the titular role in Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin Film. While not yet confirmed on IMDb, Damian Lewis (Homeland) and Nina Dobrev (The Vampire Diaries), the latter also of Toronto, are likely to star also.
Ricky Tollman writes and directs this, his first Feature Film. Tollman attended OMDC’s 2016 International Financing Forum for the Film, which finally is set to take off.
Synopsis:
The plot follows a young journalist (Platt), desperate to prove himself, who catches wind of a scandal involving a flashy, unpredictable politician with no filter (Lewis). Political aides (Massoud and Dobrev) attempt to keep their boss in check – and the story under wraps – in order to save their jobs.
The Shoot is estimated to take approximately one month in Toronto. Pretty timely with Doug Ford‘s recent naming as the Ontario PC Leader?
More to come. The Film is said to have its sights on a TIFF ’18 Premiere.
(Photo credit: Universal Pictures)
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