Robert Pattinson no longer involved with Joanna Hogg’s The Souvenir Part 2

According to IndieWire

Robert Pattinson will no longer be able to co-star in Joanna Hogg’s “The Souvenir” sequel due to scheduling conflicts, IndieWire has learned. The British actor was first rumored as part of the cast for Hogg’s 2019 Sundance Grand Jury Prize-winning feature back in 2017, though he ultimately did not appear in the first film, instead opting for a part in the filmmaker’s planned sequel.

“Despite Rob’s strong desire to do the film, scheduling proved impossible but he very much looks forward to working with Joanna on something down the line,” a representative for the actor told IndieWire. Distributor A24 declined to comment.

Well I guess that’s that. I saw The Souvenir Part 1 last week as part of the Sydney Film Festival and although it wasn’t my favourite film of the ones I saw, there’s no denying that the film is good (I loved Tom Burke’s performance) and Joanna Hogg’s style is interesting (no script and actors ad lib dialogue) so I am looking forward to seeing Rob collaborate with Joanna somewhere down the line.

Robert Pattinson The Souvenir Part 2 starts filming 3 June 2019

With all the Batman hullabaloo I forgot to post an update on what we know so far on The Souvenir Part 2. For those who follow on Twitter you will have seen that I’ve been tweeting about Rob’s involvement this week. There’s been confusion given the news of Rob’s involvement in the upcoming Christopher Nolan film which is also supposedly shooting for 4 months from June and whether Rob is still attached to The Souvenir. It hasn’t helped that Joanna Hogg has been “silent” about what is happening although she has never denied his involvement. Below are a few extracts from recent interviews given the release of The Souvenir Part 1 in the US this week:

From IndieWire (note byline states film won’t be ready for Sundance 2020)

While Hogg declined to offer any details about the role Robert Pattinson will play in the film — asked if she could share anything, Hogg only said, “No, no. No, I’m afraid not.” — but it seems likely he’ll appear as a new love interest for Julie. 

From Variety (interview with Producer Luke Schiller):

Hogg is renowned for working without scripts. “She likes to retain flexibility and keep us on our toes,” says Schiller. “There’s no dialogue; everything is improvised. She would just say to Honor, ‘walk in and there’s going to be a surprise’.”

[Schiller] is now busy prepping the sequel. “We’re due to start shooting on June 3 in Norfolk, England, at an abandoned aircraft hangar the size of Pinewood’s Bond studio,” says Schiller, who runs his own Atlas Films shingle. “We’ve converted it into the flat and film studios for the movie, while also using it as a studio ourselves. It’s a multi-purpose set, very Joanna-esque.

From The Film Stage

Looking ahead, I know you’re probably still prepping the sequel, but you announced some of the cast, Robert Pattinson is joining. This movie ends with one of the most beautiful ending shots and I’m curious what kind of ideas you’re playing with next and if you’re excited to bring some new faces to this universe.

It’s definitely a new phase. The second film will be a film in its own right, you shouldn’t have to see the films as a pair. I’m challenging myself in the next film to not just sit back on the ideas I’ve developed in part one but to really move forward and take new risks. Of course, there’s a danger that those who like part one might find things in part two different. They might like it more or less, but I can’t really think about that. It’s quite strange for me to be promoting part one at the point I’m jumping off into part two, which is why I’m not reading anything about part one. I don’t want it to scare me in a way. I want to continue to take risks and connect it to part one and that it’s a continuation of Julie’s life as a film student and as a filmmaker and we go a lot more into the territory of filmmaking.

Looking forward to seeing Part 1 at the Sydney Film Festival.

Robert Pattinson The Souvenir: Part 2 is heading your way … eventually

Australia – you know what this means – we have a distributor for The Souvenir: Part 2. Screen International unleashed the following exclusive tonight:

Focus has taken global rights excluding North America (A24), UK (Curzon) and Taiwan (Spotlight) from sales agent Protagonist Pictures to both parts one and two of the project. The deal has been in the works since Sundance. 

The second film is scheduled to shoot later this year. Element Pictures has come on board to produce Part 2 with Hogg’s JWH Films. It is understood the key cast will be reprising their roles and that some further casting is underway.

Click on the link above to read the full article.

Joanna Hogg Talks About The Souvenir: Part 1 with Collider

Joanna Hogg was interviewed by Collider at Sundance and this is what she had to say (at around 11.46) about:

• What it’s like screening The Souvenir knowing that the sequel is scheduled to shoot this summer.
• A brief tease of what’s to come in The Souvenir 2.

The video autoplays so I have paced behind the cut

Joanna Hogg was inteviewed during Sundance and at the end of this interview at around 2.15 she mentions that she always planned to make two films and that The Souvenir: Part II isn’t a sequel in the traditional sense and that he’s glad she didn’t shoot the two films back to back.

In case you haven’t been following on Social media, The Souvenir: Part I has been receiving fabulous reviews.

From Little White Lies:

The spirit of the 1980s is evident both in the soundtrack (Bronski Beat, The Specials and The Psychedelic Furs all feature) and politics of a film that wrestles with notions of class privilege and blossoming female desire, as well as ideas about ‘female art’ and the female artist as perceived by men. A wry wit sparkles throughout, and means that when the heartache eventually comes it does so with real emotional impact.

Most intriguingly of all, it has already been announced that The Souvenir will receive a sequel – Hogg is currently working on the script, and Robert Pattinson is set to co-star with Swinton-Byrne, reprising her role as Julie. It feels as though this film barely scratches the service of its fascinating central character, and and it’s truly exciting to have a filmmaker as honest and articulate as Hogg working today.

Joanna Hogg reportedly working on Robert Pattinson #TheSouvenir: Part II

As we know, The Souvenir: Part I will have its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival on 27 January 2019. According to Sundance Institute:

Hogg … is currently working on the second part of The Souvenir starring Robert Pattinson, Tilda Swinton, and Honor Swinton-Byrne.

IMDbPro has also updated the cast list since the last time I checked by including Tilda Swinton and Honor Swinton Byrne. Rob and Tilda in a film ticks off another bucket list duo for me.

UPDATED:

A24 has secured North American rights for The Souvenir: Part II. According to Deadline:

After A24 last month acquired the Sundance-bound film The Souvenir, the distributor has closed a North American rights deal for director Joanna Hogg’s sequel, The Souvenir – Part 2. A24 unveils the first film with its world premiere Sunday here at Sundance, before the film plays in the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival in February.

…

Production on The Souvenir – Part 2 will take place this summer, with Hogg writing and directing. Reprising their roles from the first film are Honor Swinton Byrne, Tilda Swinton, Ariane Labed and Richard Ayoade. The film is an Element Pictures/JWH Films production.

…

The first film is set in a film industry milieu. Between script pitches and camera setups, a quiet film student (Swinton Byrne) hosts a film-school cohort party where she meets a mysterious man (Burke) who days later invites her to a grand hotel and asks to stay with her for a few days. It’s her first serious love affair and she ignores her friends and borrows large amounts of money from her parents, surrendering to the relationship and her new love’s needs. It’s based on Hogg’s actual experience.