A24 has acquired Luca Guadagnino’s anticipated gay love drama, “Queer,” ahead of its Sept. 3 world premiere at the 81st Venice International Film Festival, TheWrap has learned. Starring Daniel Craig, the adaptation of William S.
Burroughs’ 1985 novel is set in 1950s Mexico City and follows William Lee, “an American ex-pat in his late 40s, as he leads a solitary life amidst a small American community,” according to the film’s official synopsis. “However, the arrival in town of Eugene Allerton, a young student, stirs William into finally establishing a meaningful connection with someone.” Co-starring Drew Starkey, Academy Award nominee Lesley Manville (“Phantom Thread”), Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta, Michael Borremans and David Lowery, the project was written for the screen by Justin Kuritzkes, who most recently collaborated with Guadagnino on Zendaya-starrer “Challengers.
” “’Queer’ is a labor of love, and we could not be more excited that our film has found a home with a studio as daring, vital and trail-blazing as A24,” the filmmaker and Craig said in a joint statement Wednesday. “It is our deep honor to finally bring Burroughs’ legendary novel to life on screen for the first time, and we feel immense gratitude and excitement to be able to present it alongside our treasured collaborators. We could not ask for better partners on this journey.
” “Queer” was produced by Fremantle, Fremantle North America, Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartm.