Netflix has won the global rights in an auction to “The Starling,” a dramedy directed by Ted Melfi that stars Melissa McCarthy, Kevin Kline, Timothy Olyphant, Chris O’Dowd and Daveed Diggs, the streamer announced Monday.
“The Starling” is described as a heartwarming and comic story about a woman who suffers through a hardship and then becomes obsessed with trying to kill a small starling bird nested in her backyard that harasses and attacks her, something that now represents all her problems. In the process, she forms an unlikely friendship with a quirky psychologist turned veterinarian with his own troubled past.
Melfi is directing the film from a script by Matt Harris, and he’ll also produce alongside Kimberly Quinn and Limelight’s Dylan Sellers and Chris Parker. “The Starling” comes from Limelight, Entertainment One (eOne) and Boies Schiller Entertainment. The executive producers are Boies Schiller Entertainment’s Zack Schiller and David Boies and eOne’s Jen Gorton and Zev Foreman.
Also co-starring in the film are Skyler Gisondo, Loretta Devine, Laura Harrier, Rosalind Chao and Kimberly Quinn. “The Starling” is currently in post-production.
McCarthy, who starred in Melfi’s “St. Vincent” back in 2014, has made a dramatic turn in recent years after work in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” and “The Kitchen.” She’ll also next appear in the live-action remake of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.”
“The Starling” is Melfi’s first feature since 2016’s Best Picture-nominated “Hidden Figures.”
CAA Media Finance and UTA Independent negotiated the deal with Netflix.
Deadline first reported news of the deal.