Michael Angelo Covino‘s sophomore feature directorial Splitsville, which is playing in this year’s Cannes Film Festival Premiere section, is getting an Aug. 22 U.S. theatrical release.
The comedy co-written by Covino and Kyle Martin follows Ashley (Adria Arjona) who after asking for a divorce spurs the good-natured Carey (Kyle Marvin) to run to his friends, Julie (Dakota Johnson) and Paul (Covino), for support. Their secret to happiness is an open marriage; that is, until Carey crosses the line and throws all of their relationships into chaos. The movie also stars Nicholas Braun, O-T Fagbenle and Charlie Gillespie.
Splitsville will be on marquees at the same time as another 2025 Cannes title, Focus Features’ Ethan Coen comedy Honey, Don’t!. Also bowing on Aug. 22 is Vertical’s Ron Howard period thriller Eden and Mubi’s Lurker.
Splitsville reunites Neon and Topic Studios following their work together on Infinity Pool, the sci-fi horror pic from Brandon Cronenberg, which marked Neon’s first in-house production set for theatrical release.
Covino and Marvin developed Splitsville under their multiyear first-look deal with Topic Studios, which produced The Climb. Together with Topic Studios and Neon, Covino and Marvin produced with Emily Korteweg for their company Watch This Ready. Johnson, Ro Donnelly, and Samantha Racanelli are producing for TeaTime Pictures, with Arjona and Paul Barbeau serving as EPs.
Covino’s feature directorial debut, The Climb, which won him Canne’s Un Certain Regard – Jury Coup de Coeur award in 2019, also had a relationship bent; a bromance about two friends on a biking trip; their relationship is challenged when one reveals that he’s sleeping with the other’s fiancée. That pic was based on Covino and Marvin’s 2018 short of the same name. Sony Pictures Classics released The Climb in the U.S./Canada.
