If there is one film we’re bummed we missed during the recent Toronto International Film Festival, it’s Michael Winterbottom’s latest “The Trip.” From what we’ve heard, the film starring Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon — the two stars of the director’s 2005 film, “Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story” — is a blast, lots of fun and very funny. The picture follows two friends as they tour eateries in Northern England, and was whittled down from a 6-part BBC mini-series, but does contain some exclusive footage.
Well, IFC Films will be bringing the film stateside, landing the U.S. distribution. But that’s not all Steve Coogan fans have to look forward to. His character Alan Patridge may be headed back to British television. Deadline reports that Coogan’s production company Baby Cow is recutting some webisodes he’s been creating for Fosters into a new 6-part series that will be headed possibly to Channel 4 or Brit digital comedy outlet Dave. The webisodes will beginning appearing online on November 5th.
As for “The Trip,” it will most likely hit theaters next year. While we’re at it, now that Colin Firth has proved his Academy Awards mettle two years in a row (“A Single Man” and “The King’s Speech,” for which he’s sure to snag a nomination), shouldn’t someone be looking into releasing Winterbottom’s 2009 effort “Genova” starring the aforementioned actor, or has that time simply passed? Regardless, working at his rapid clip, we’re simply to see that another picture from this underrated director is hitting our shores.