Apparition Clears Slate: Welcome to the Rileys Moves to Samuel Goldwyn

Twilight fans needs not worry: no Kristen Stewart films will be stuck in limbo. If the Bob Berney departure wasn’t a worrisome sign of things to come, then perhaps Sony’s decision to move Jake Scott‘s Welcome to the Riley‘s to Samuel Goldwyn Films for the theatrical handling of the drama this October is further evidence that not all things are going right at the shingle – or perhaps the 3.5 million box office haul of another Stewart title in The Runaways wasn’t enough to satisfy the parent company. I’m not the only one who thinks this, but I’m thinking that the success of Terrence Malick’s Tree of Life might determine the outcome and longevity at Apparition. 

Featured at Sundance, grabbed in March, Variety reports the companies “had mutually agreed for Apparition to back away from handling the pic”. How does a company whose main objective to distribute films suddenly decide to clear out the attic? Obviously Berney’s exist doesn’t help matters – but aren’t there other staffers to help in the interim?

Scripted by Ken Hixon, the story revolves around a couple (Gandolfini, Leo) driven apart by the death of their daughter but brought back together when they meet a troubled young woman (Stewart). Personally, I didn’t get to see the film at Park City, but in general the pic receive a warm response.