In Break from Tradition, Woody Allen Actually Announces New Film's Title and Plot

Woody Allen is hardly in the business of making tightly guarded fanboy tentpoles or highly anticipated sequels, but by the veil of secrecy he hangs over each project, you'd never know it. Cast lists, plots and titles are often scarce on his movies until close to the release date (Anthony Hopkins didn't even know the title of the film he just made with Allen until a few weeks ago), but apparently, Allen has something new up his sleeve for the Owen Wilson/Rachel McAdams film he's about to shoot: total candor.

Allen issued a statement today about the movie that revealed details he's usually not in the business of giving ahead of time:

Titled Midnight in Paris, the film stars Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard and Rachel McAdams in a romantic comedy about a family travelling to the French capital for business. The party includes a young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better.

Allen has added Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda, Tom Hiddleston, Corey Stoll, Mimi Kennedy and Kurt Fuller to the cast and finally confirmed the participation of Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, who has been rumored to be a cast member for months.

So yes, that's a film set in France where only 2 out of the 11 actors announced are actually French -- about on par with the foreigner/native English speaker ratio of Vicky Cristina Barcelona. Still, I don't know what to do with all this information. We may be able to traditionally anticipate this just like a normal movie!

Kathy Bates, Michael Sheen join 'Paris' [THR]