Last September at the Toronto International Film Festival,Joseph Kahn’s battle rap movieBodieddebuted to rave reviews from critics and general audiences alike. And then it disappeared. It wasn’t until mid-January that we learned the film had been acquired by YouTube Red, and even then, details about its eventual release were scant – until now.
Collider has exclusively learned that YouTube Red is partnering with NEON to giveBodieda wide release in theaters on November 2nd. That means it will open against another music-driven movie – Fox’sBohemian Rhapsody– as well as Disney’sNutcracker and the Four Realms, though we suspect that film andBodiedwon’t cannibalize each other too badly at the box office, given how they appeal to completely different audiences. The deal isn’t quite done yet, so it still remains unclear whenBodiedwill be available to watch on YouTube Red, as there will likely be some kind of exclusive theatrical window.
BodiedstarsCalum Worthy(American Vandal) as Adam, a progressive graduate student who finds success and sparks outrage when his interest in battle rap as a thesis subject becomes a competitive obsession. The lead character is clearly modeled afterEminem, who produced the gritty indie movie under his Shady Films banner along withPaul RosenbergandAdi Shankar. You canclick hereto read Matt Goldberg’s positive review from TIFF.
It’s worth noting thatBodiedwriterAlex Larsenis a longtime battle rapper himself, which makes sense, as the rhymes are just too good to have been written by someone outside the real game. Visually, Kahn throws a bunch of interesting styles at the wall to see what sticks, though it’s the words that have the real weight here, and those words will no doubt be met with controversy in some hyper-sensitive Twitter circles. Obviously,Bodiedisn’t for the easily offended, but those who appreciate things like, say, free speech, will appreciate how everyone is a victim, and no one is left spared. The film’s real target is political correctness itself.
Bodiedmakes perfect sense for NEON’s budding brand, which includes the upcoming release ofAssassination Nation. The company had a solid hit earlier this summer with the acclaimed documentaryThree Identical Strangers. Its future releases also include the Sundance dramaMonsters and Men, andHarmony Korine’sThe Beach BumstarringMatthew McConaughey,Zac EfronandSnoop Dogg.
In addition toBohemian RhapsodyandThe Nutcracker,Bodiedwill open against Amazon’sSuspiriaremake, Focus' conversion therapy dramaBoy Erased, and Paramount’sTiffany HaddishcomedyNobody’s Fool.
