Meryl Streep Officially Signs on for RICKI AND THE FLASH

TriStar Productions today announced an all-star band of film talent will collaborate on Ricki and the Flash. Produced by Marc Platt and Mason Novick, the film unites Oscar® winners Diablo Cody, who wrote the original screenplay, director Jonathan Demme, and Meryl Streep, who will star in the title role.

Ricki and the Flash is the funny and touching story of a rock n' roll-loving woman who chased her tattered dream at the price of her family, but gets a last chance to, perhaps, make things right. Streep, the most Oscar®-nominated actor in history, is well known for her singing prowess on stage and screen (Mamma Mia, Into the Woods), but Ricki is a new gig even for the musically gifted star: a guitar-wielding, hard rockin' mamma by night and grocery store checkout lady by day.

TriStar Productions, which won the rights in a competitive situation, made a production commitment and shooting will commence in the fall, giving Streep time over the summer to hone her skills on the axe.

The distinctive screenplay was written by Diablo Cody (Juno, Young Adult, "United States of Tara") and will be directed by Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married). Demme and powerhouse film producer Platt (Legally Blonde, Wanted, 2 Guns) are themselves no strangers to music-related projects: Demme directed the seminal rock pics Stop Making Sense and Neil Young: Heart of Gold and produced That Thing You Do; Platt is currently producing the film version of Into the Woods and is the creative force behind the mega Broadway hit Wicked. Novick has produced Cody's earlier films Juno and Young Adult as well as the recent Bad Words, starring Jason Bateman.

TriStar Productions Chairman Tom Rothman said, "We feel lucky as hell to have been selected by such outstanding filmmakers to be the dive bar for Ricki and her band. We aspire to be the best roadies ever. I have been fortunate enough to have personally worked with each of the Fab Four talents involved here before and know well how supremely gifted they are. This is a great day in the life of our company."

Marc Platt said: "Mason and I are thrilled. Diablo and Meryl are two of the women I admire most and we are lucky to be collaborating with them. Jonathan and I first worked together on Philadelphia at TriStar, so the homecoming to the studio is particularly sweet. I know Jonathan will do a masterful job on the film and that we will all be in good hands with Tom Rothman and his team."

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