Musician Boots Riley drew inspiration for his feature directing debut “Sorry to Bother You” from his own workplace experiences. “I’ve done telemarketing before in my life,” he explains, “and grumbled while I was in the cubical that I would have revenge on the industry.” Watch our exclusive video interview with Riley above.
Set in an alternate present-day Oakland, this Annapurna release centers on an African-American telemarketer (Lakeith Stanfield) who rises in the ranks after learning to adopt a “white voice.” He soon finds himself entangled in a vast conspiracy and must choose between his newfound financial success and human rights activism.
See ‘Sorry to Bother You’ is a strong contender for Best Original Screenplay
As he developed the idea Riley began peppering the script with “surreal” elements, which he introduced as a way of “trying to talk about certain things” that were difficult to articulate. When trying to put...
Set in an alternate present-day Oakland, this Annapurna release centers on an African-American telemarketer (Lakeith Stanfield) who rises in the ranks after learning to adopt a “white voice.” He soon finds himself entangled in a vast conspiracy and must choose between his newfound financial success and human rights activism.
See ‘Sorry to Bother You’ is a strong contender for Best Original Screenplay
As he developed the idea Riley began peppering the script with “surreal” elements, which he introduced as a way of “trying to talk about certain things” that were difficult to articulate. When trying to put...
- 12/13/2018
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Similar News
Amy Winehouse Biopic ‘Back to Black’ Tops U.K., Ireland Box Office
- 4/16/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
2024 Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series
- 4/9/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
Kung Fu Panda Franchise Ranked As Per Budget: 4th Installment Leads The List From The Bottom With Comparatively Low Cost Of $85 Million!
- 4/8/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Films to watch on BBC iPlayer right now
- 4/17/2024
- by Em McGowan
- Film Stories
Adam Sandler's Worst Movie Ever, According To Rotten Tomatoes
- 4/15/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
One Hollywood Star is Seemingly Disappointed After Julia Garner’s Casting as The Silver Surfer
- 4/4/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Jonathan Glazer’s Controversial Oscars Speech Backed by Group of Jewish Creatives
- 4/10/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Alan Menken, Sarah Sherman, Alex Winter and Larry Charles Join Jewish Creatives Supporting Jonathan Glazer’s Oscars Speech in Open Letter (Exclusive)
- 4/10/2024
- by Ellise Shafer and Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
‘Harry Potter’ Star Miriam Margolyes Calls on Jews to “Scream for A Ceasefire” in Gaza: “To Me, It Seems as if Hitler Has Won”
- 4/9/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.
More to explore
Sundance Film Festival Courting New Host City for 2027 and Beyond
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
Tribeca Festival Reveals 2024 Feature Film Lineup Including New Movies With Lily Gladstone, Jenna Ortega and Michael Cera
- 4/17/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
Netflix LGBTQ Comedy Doc ‘Outstanding,’ Featuring Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Eichner and Wanda Sykes, Unveils Trailer, Premiere Date (Exclusive)
- 4/17/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
Studio Ghibli to Receive Honorary Cannes Palme d’Or
- 4/17/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
‘For All Mankind’ Renewed for Season 5, Soviet Space Program Spinoff in the Works at Apple TV+
- 4/17/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
Rachel Zegler, Kit Connor to Star on Broadway in ‘Romeo and Juliet’
- 4/16/2024
- by Caitlin Huston
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Selena Quintanilla Deserves to Be Celebrated This Year - Not Exploited
- 4/16/2024
- by Lucas Villa
- Popsugar.com
Bad Bunny's First NYC Show From His Most Wanted Tour Is Proof His Latine Fans Still Come First
- 4/12/2024
- by Johanna Ferreira
- Popsugar.com
Olivia Rodrigo's "Guts" Tour Made Me Feel Like a Teen Again
- 4/8/2024
- by Yerin Kim
- Popsugar.com
Jennifer Lopez's Viral "the Bronx" Controversy Proves Younger Latines Don't Find Her Authentic
- 4/3/2024
- by Miguel Machado
- Popsugar.com
Everything Coming to Hulu and Disney+ in May 2024
- 4/17/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Why Do So Many Millennials Have a TV Antenna?
- 4/17/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Documentary Producers Set Best Practices for Generative-ai Use in Film
- 4/17/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Derrick Barry Is Ready For A Producer Credit On ‘Drag Race Live Untucked’
- 4/17/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Sundance Film Festival Opens The Door To Leaving Park City In 2027
- 4/17/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
Sundance Film Festival Courting New Host City for 2027 and Beyond
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety - Film News
Tribeca Festival Reveals 2024 Feature Film Lineup Including New Movies With Lily Gladstone, Jenna Ortega and Michael Cera
- 4/17/2024
- by Jack Dunn
- Variety - Film News
Netflix LGBTQ Comedy Doc ‘Outstanding,’ Featuring Rosie O’Donnell, Billy Eichner and Wanda Sykes, Unveils Trailer, Premiere Date (Exclusive)
- 4/17/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
Studio Ghibli to Receive Honorary Cannes Palme d’Or
- 4/17/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Box Office: Dracula’s Daughter ‘Abigail’ Tries to Take a Bite Out of ‘Civil War’ With $12 Million Debut
- 4/17/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
‘For All Mankind’ Renewed for Season 5, Soviet Space Program Spinoff in the Works at Apple TV+
- 4/17/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety - TV News
‘Oldboy’ English-Language TV Series in the Works From Park Chan-wook, Lionsgate
- 4/17/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Why Do So Many Millennials Have a TV Antenna?
- 4/17/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire Television
‘Outer Banks’ Season 4: Everything We Know So Far
- 4/17/2024
- TV Insider
‘9-1-1’: ‘Bachelor’ Crossover Episode Nabs Best Seven-Day Rating in Nearly a Year
- 4/17/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety - TV News