Veronica-Mars-Movie-to-debut-at-SXSW-2014With Sundance 2014 about to kick off the year’s major film festivals in just a few days’ time, all eyes are turning tonight to one of the next big stop-offs on the circuit, with SXSW announcing seven premieres, including Jon Favreau’s anticipated indie comedy, Chef.

Favreau’s Chef will be making its presence felt as the Opening Night Film, kicking the festival off on 7th March out in Austin.

The similarly anticipated Veronica Mars movie, which notably raised funds to make the project happen via Kickstarter last year, will have its world premiere.

And fans of the genius and mind-opening astrologist/cosmologist Neil deGrasse Tyson will be very pleased to know that he’ll be there in person for a special event, as the host of COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey, Fox’s follow-up to Carl Sagan’s 1980 classic, Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

Led by Favreau himself, Chef boasts one of the best ensembles of the year, with the director recruiting the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Dustin Hoffman, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Robert Downey, Jr., Oliver Platt, and more for his return to indie territory. Following its SXSW bow, it will be heading into UK and US cinemas on May 9th, a date that can’t come soon enough.

US cinemagoers fortunately won’t have long to wait for the Veronica Mars movie after its appearance in Austin, with Warner Bros. recently dating its release for March 14th.

SXSW 2014 will be running from 7th March to 15th March, and you can consider me jealous if you’re lucky enough to be heading out to the festival.

 

Break Point (World Premiere / SXsports screening)

Director: Jay Karas, Screenwriters: Gene Hong & Jeremy Sisto

Two estranged brothers reunite to make an improbable run at a grand slam tennis tournament. The mismatched pair, with some unlikely help from a precocious 11-year-old boy, re-discover their game and their brotherhood.

Cast: Jeremy Sisto, David Walton, Joshua Rush, J.K. Simmons, Amy Smart

 

Chef (World Premiere)

Director: Jon Favreau, Screenplay & Story: Jon Favreau

When Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner (Dustin Hoffman), he is left to figure out what’s next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), his friend (John Leguizamo) and his son (Emjay Anthony) to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen — and zest for life and love.

Producers are Jon Favreau and Sergei Bespalov. Executive producers include Molly Allen and Karen Gilchrist. Open Road Films will release Chef in May 2014.

Cast: Sofia Vergara, Scarlett Johansson, John Leguizamo, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Robert Downey, Jr., and young actor Emjay Anthony.

 

Creep (World Premiere)

Director: Patrick Brice, Screenwriter: Patrick Brice & Mark Duplass

When a videographer answers a Craigslist ad for a one-day job in the outer-exurbs, he finds his client is not at all what he initially seems.

Cast: Mark Duplass, Patrick Brice

 

COSMOS: A SpaceTime Odyssey

(Special Event with Neil deGrasse Tyson)

Director: Brannon Braga

As with the legendary original series, FOX’s new COSMOS is the saga of how we discovered the laws of nature and found our coordinates in space and time. The series is hosted by renowned astrophysicist Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson and brings to life never-before-told stories of the heroic quest for knowledge, transporting viewers to new worlds and across the universe for a vision of the cosmos on the grandest — and the smallest — scale.

Executive Produced by Ann Druyan, Seth MacFarlane, Brannon Braga and Mitchell Cannold.

 

Doc of the Dead (World Premiere)

Director: Alexandre O. Philippe

The definitive zombie culture documentary, from the makers of The People vs. George Lucas. Doc of the Dead traces the rise and evolution of the zombie genre, its influence on pop culture, and investigates the possibility of an actual zombie outbreak.

 

Leave the World Behind (World Premiere)

Director: Christian Larson

A documentary following the final tour of the hugely successful band Swedish House Mafia. The film depicts the EDM scene at its peak as well as telling a story of friendship and success. (United Kingdom)

 

Veronica Mars (World Premiere)

Director: Rob Thomas, Screenwriters: Rob Thomas & Diane Ruggiero

Years after walking away from her past as a teenage private eye, Veronica Mars gets pulled back to her hometown, an ex-boyfriend with baggage, and an unraveling murder mystery.

Cast: Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Krysten Ritter, Francis Capra, Percy Daggs III, Ryan Hansen, Gaby Hoffman, Chris Lowell, Tina Majorino, Jerry O’Connell