It’s been a long road, but Duncan Jones‘ future-set Noir Mute finally has a release date. The Moon and Source Code director has had a long journey with his sci-fi passion project, intended to be his first film, and Netflix will finally release the film on February 23rd.
Alexander Skarsgard stars as a mute bartender who lost the ability to speak after a childhood accident and gets dragged into the “city’s seedy, neon underworld” when his girlfriend (Seyneb Saleh) disappears. Set in the near-future, Mute shares a world with Moon — the second of a trilogy Jones has planned out — and co-stars Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux as a pair of American surgeons who keep popping up in Skarsgard’s investigation.
Jones announced the release date on Twitter and also shared a bit about how his personal “Don Quixote” (nicknamed after Terry Gilliam’s infamously troubled adaptation) finally made it to the finish line. Jones recalls that Mute was intended to be his first film but “it seems everything was against mute ever being made.” He sent the script to Sam Rockwell, who loved it but wanted to play the part of Leo — now played by Skarsgard. Instead, Jones wrote Moon for the actor… which became his first film instead. You can read the rest of the details on Mute‘s journey to the screen in the tweets below.
So some of you may be aware that I have previously called @Mute my “Don Quixote.” I did this, as much like Terry Gillian’s fabled film of that name, it seemed everything was against Mute ever being made. In fact, here’s an early draft… from 2003! pic.twitter.com/wW3VwfLRRR
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
It was going to be my first film. I sent it to Sam Rockwell who loved it!
…but he wanted to play Leo, the part that would later go to Alex Skarsgård. I wouldn’t budge but was so enamoured with Sam, I decided to write something just for him. That was Moon. pic.twitter.com/8hViVmD7X2— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
Years past, Mute kept being pushed to the back burner. Life filled up with Source Code, my amazing wife’s successful battle with cancer, Warcraft, dad’s cancer, baby, the wonderful woman who raised me, Marion’s sad loss to brain cancer. We’d do a graphic novel with @FabryGlenn pic.twitter.com/rWSMsPY2pG
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
But sadly that book never fully came to fruition.
But one day…@netflix came to town! pic.twitter.com/Ib8Y1a5ah3
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
Netflix, these crazy new kids on the block, had this totally crazy philosophy on film making straight out of the 70s. Don’t make 4 quad “please everyone” homogenous blobs! Make films fimmakers are passionate about & let the audience find them! pic.twitter.com/HpcgySkFoa
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
Part three of the Moon/Mute/? trilogy stars two sisters. Wax meant to be made before Warcraft but couldn't get it financed. Still trying!
…next film Im writing now, is not part of trilogy, but DOES have female lead. https://t.co/TBTP3KryX8— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) January 19, 2018
Here’s the official synopsis for Mute:
Set in the near-future, Leo (Alexander Skarsgård) is a bartender living in the pulsing city of Berlin. Because of a childhood accident, Leo lost the ability to speak and the only good thing in his life is his beautiful girlfriend Naadirah (Seyneb Saleh). When she vanishes without a trace, Leo’s search for her takes him deep into the city’s seedy underbelly. A pair of wise-cracking American surgeons (Paul Rudd and Justin Theroux) are the only recurring clue and Leo is forced to take on this teeming underworld in order to find his love.
via Collider