A24 strikes deal for James Franco’s ‘The Disaster Artist’
A24 Films picked up domestic rights to The Disaster Artist in a deal that positioned the studio once again as the home for off-kilter Hollywood stories. The film tells the true story behind Tommy Wiseau’s 2003 production The Room, a project that arrived with no fanfare and left with the nickname “the Citizen Kane of bad movies.”
The film is based on the true story of the making of 2003 drama The Room, commonly referred to as “the Citizen Kane of bad movies” (and boy, does it deserve that title). Despite its negative reception by critics and mainstream viewers, Tommy Wiseau’s film became a cult classic and continues to be screened to sold-out audiences.
James Franco directed and starred, bringing the same nervy energy he had shown in earlier A24 titles. He had already tested early footage at South by Southwest, where the room erupted in the kind of standing ovation that usually signals a distributor bidding war. Franco had previously appeared in Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, another A24 release that mixed neon excess with deadpan crime.
James Franco (This Is the End, 127 Hours, Pineapple Express) directs the comedy, having screened it as a work-in-progress at the South by Southwest Film Festival earlier this year, where it received a standing ovation. Franco previously starred in Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers, also released by A24.
Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber handled the screenplay, adapting the book co-written by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. The pair had already proven they could turn messy romantic lives into crowd-pleasers with credits that include 500 Days of Summer, Paper Towns, and The Spectacular Now.
The Disaster Artist was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who adapted it from the book of the same name by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell. Neustadter and Weber are a formidable writing team, having collaborated on 500 Days of Summer, Paper Towns and The Spectacular Now.
Critical Reception and Legacy
Once the film reached audiences, critics responded with a mix of affection and surprise. It earned a 90 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers noting its sharp yet tender look at how obsession fuels the creative process. Metacritic gave it a 76 out of 100, landing in the generally favorable range. The National Board of Review placed the movie among its top ten films of 2017, an early signal that the comedy had staying power beyond midnight screenings of The Room.
Awards and Recognition
James Franco collected the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, a win that surprised even some longtime supporters. The film also landed an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, proof that the story of an eccentric outsider had struck a chord inside the industry it gently mocked.
Box Office Performance
The numbers told their own story. Made for roughly ten million dollars, The Disaster Artist finished with a worldwide gross of 29.8 million. Domestic receipts reached 21.1 million while international markets added another 8.7 million. The modest budget and built-in cult audience helped the film turn a tidy profit without needing blockbuster scale.
Where to Watch
Viewers looking to revisit the chaos can stream the film on Cinemax through Amazon and Apple TV channels. Digital copies remain available for purchase or rental on Amazon Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home, keeping the movie accessible long after its theatrical window closed.
The Disaster Artist stars Franco in the lead, alongside his younger brother Dave Franco (Now You See Me). The supporting cast includes Seth Rogen (The Interview), Zoey Deutch (Why Him?), Ari Graynor (The Sitter), Jacki Weaver (The Voices), Hannibal Buress (Daddy’s Home), Zac Efron (Neighbors), Alison Brie (The Little Hours), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad) and Bryan Cranston (Wakefield).
Release Information: The limited theatrical rollout began December 1, 2017, followed by a wider release one week later. The film completed its theatrical run years ago, moving quickly into home viewing and eventual streaming rotation.
Cast: The final on-screen ensemble features Alison Brie, Josh Hutcherson, and several other performers who appear in key supporting roles. Zoey Deutch, Hannibal Buress, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, and Bryan Cranston are not in the finished film.
Warner Bros. Pictures handled international distribution while A24 managed domestic playdates. The production carried the New Line Cinema banner along with Good Universe, RatPac-Dune, Point Grey Pictures, and Ramona Films, a coalition that gave the project both arthouse credibility and wide-release muscle.
