John DeLorean biopic Driven to close 2018 Venice Film Festival

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Photo: Driven Film Productions Limited

The story of famed automobile visionary John DeLorean has found itself a prime parking spot on the fall festival circuit.

The Venice International Film Festival announced Monday director Nick Hamm’s biopic Driven — featuring Lee Pace as the iconic innovator perhaps best known in Hollywood as the mind behind the DeLorean DMC-12 from Back to the Future — is set to close the annual event’s 2018 edition with a special, out-of-competition screening on Sept. 8.

A press release describes the project as a “wickedly comedic look at a bromance gone bad” following DeLorean’s meteoric rise to prominence with his DeLorean Motor Company in 1980s California — all while maintaining a friendship with his ex-con-turned-FBI-informant companion, Jim Hoffman (Jason Sudeikis), whose previous dealings with a ruthless agent (Corey Stoll) result in a sticky situation for Hoffman as he forges a bond with DeLorean amid a period of struggle for his automobile ambitions.

Judy Greer costars as Hoffman’s wife, Ellen, while The Hangover‘s Justin Bartha and The Walking Dead actor Michael Cudlitz have supporting roles.

Hamm directed the film from an original screenplay by The Journey writer Colin Bateman. Distribution rights have yet to be secured for a U.S. release.

Previously announced titles set to screen at the Venice Film Festival include Luca Guadagnino’s Suspiria remake, the Coen brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, and the non-competition festival opener A Star Is Born with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

The 75th Venice International Film Festival runs from Aug. 29 through Sept. 8. For more information on this year’s edition, head to the official website here.

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