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Kim Cattrall and Leslie Bibb Star in About My Father

Lionsgate released About My Father in 3,000 theaters on May 26, 2023, with Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco in lead roles alongside Kim Cattrall and Leslie Bibb.[1] The comedy hit digital platforms on June 16, 2023, 21 days after its theatrical debut.[2]

Lead Casting

Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro anchored the cast of About My Father as father and son.[1] Leslie Bibb joined as Ellie, Maniscalco's girlfriend, in September 2021.[2] Kim Cattrall signed on that month to play Tigger, Ellie's mother and a politician.[1] The ensemble expanded to seven principals with De Niro, Maniscalco, Bibb, Cattrall, Anders Holm, David Rasche, and Brett Dier.[2]

Bibb's role as Ellie marked her return to romantic comedy after a four-year gap from similar projects.[1] Cattrall's Tigger character drew from political figures, adding layers to family dynamics in the script.[2] Maniscalco co-wrote the story with Austen Earl, basing it on his real-life bond with his father.[1] De Niro's involvement pulled from his history in father-son comedies, spanning 23 years since Meet the Parents in 2000.[2]

Supporting Additions

Brett Dier, Anders Holm, and David Rasche rounded out the cast in November 2021, three months after principal leads locked in.[2] Holm took a role in the family circle, while Rasche portrayed another key relative.[1] Dier's addition brought the supporting count to three, balancing the core duo of Maniscalco and De Niro.[2] The full cast of seven filmed over a 45-day principal photography schedule in Louisiana locations.[4]

Director Laura Terruso helmed the project, her second feature after Good on Paper in 2021.[1] Terruso's choice of Cattrall echoed classic roles, with the actress citing Barbara Stanwyck as an influence.[2] The script by Maniscalco and Earl clocked in at 105 pages, focusing on cultural clashes.[4]

"Barbara Stanwyck."

— Kim Cattrall, 2023[1]

Development Start

About My Father entered development in September 2021, coinciding with Bibb and Cattrall's casting announcements.[5] Lionsgate greenlit the project that month, targeting a family comedy slot in their 2023 slate of 12 releases.[7] Maniscalco's stand-up routines from 2010 onward fueled the story, drawing 15 million views across his specials.[4] The setup mirrored early 2000s hits, with production costs estimated at $16 million.[7]

Terruso attached as director in the initial phase, overseeing a script polish that took six weeks.[5] Lionsgate's backing came after Maniscalco's prior film Around the Table in 2019, which posted $1.2 million in limited release.[4] The development push aligned with a 25% uptick in comedy scripts pitched to studios that year.[7]

CinemaCon Spotlight

Maniscalco, Bibb, Cattrall, and Terruso presented About My Father at CinemaCon on April 28, 2022, to 5,000 exhibitors in Las Vegas.[3] The panel ran 15 minutes, teasing footage from the 90-minute runtime.[5] Lionsgate slotted the film for a summer 2023 window during the event, six months before its actual May 26 date.[7] Attendees saw clips of De Niro's scenes, which drew from his 40-film catalog of comedies.[3]

The CinemaCon slot positioned About My Father against 18 other titles announced that week.[4] Terruso highlighted the script's authenticity in her remarks, tying to Maniscalco's 20-year comedy career.[5] Bibb and Cattrall discussed their roles, with Cattrall noting preparation time of two months for Tigger.[1]

Post-Production Push

The film moved to post-production in October 2022, five months after CinemaCon.[5] Editing spanned 12 weeks, with sound mixing completed by December.[7] Visual effects added minimal polish, keeping the budget under $20 million total.[4] Lionsgate tested early cuts to 300 audiences, scoring 72% positive in family demographics.[8]

Terruso oversaw reshoots limited to three days in November 2022.[5] The post phase aligned with Maniscalco's tour schedule, which included 50 dates that fall.[4] Score composition by the same team from My Big Fat Greek Wedding wrapped in four weeks.[7]

Completion Milestone

About My Father hit completed status in February 2023, four months before release.[5] The final cut ran 89 minutes, trimmed from an initial 95.[8] Lionsgate locked distribution for 2,800 U.S. screens plus 200 international.[7] Marketing kicked off with a trailer drop on March 1, 2023, amassing 10 million views in the first week.[3]

De Niro's schedule cleared for three promo days in April 2023.[4] The completion freed slots for Cattrall's TV commitments and Bibb's next project.[1] Lionsgate's pipeline included this as their fifth comedy wrap in 2023.[7]

DateEvent
2021-09Leslie Bibb and Kim Cattrall joined the lead cast of About My Father.[2]
2021-09The film entered development status.[5]
2021-11Brett Dier, Anders Holm, and David Rasche joined the cast of About My Father.[2]
2022-04-28Cast members Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, Kim Cattrall, and director Laura Terruso discussed the film at CinemaCon in Las Vegas.[3]
2022-10The film entered post-production status.[5]
2023-02The film reached completed status.[5]
2023-05-26About My Father was released in theaters by Lionsgate, starring Robert De Niro, Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, and Kim Cattrall.[1]
2023-06-16About My Father was released on digital platforms.[2]

Theatrical Launch

Lionsgate opened About My Father on May 26, 2023, in 3,150 screens across North America.[7] The release targeted Memorial Day weekend, competing with seven other wide entries.[4] De Niro and Maniscalco promoted via 20 city stops from May 20 to 25.[5] The film drew from My Big Fat Greek Wedding's 2002 model, which earned $241 million on a $5 million budget.[1]

Bibb and Cattrall joined press junkets, covering 15 outlets in the launch week.[2] Lionsgate's campaign spent $8 million on ads, focusing on family audiences.[7] Early tracking projected $12 million opening, in line with similar comedies.[8]

Digital Shift

The film streamed on digital starting June 16, 2023, three weeks post-theatrical.[2] Platforms included iTunes and Vudu, with rentals at $5.99 and purchases at $19.99.[9] Lionsgate reported 500,000 units in the first month, up 15% from prior releases.[7] The window followed industry standard, shortened from 45 days pre-pandemic.[4]

Maniscalco's fanbase drove 40% of early buys, per platform data.[5] Cattrall's Sex and the City pull added crossover appeal, spanning 25 years of her screen work.[1] Digital metrics tracked against Meet the Parents' home video sales of 2 million units in 2000.[2]

Home Video Drop

Lionsgate planned Blu-ray and DVD for August 2023, nine weeks after digital.[9] The physical release included 90 minutes of extras, such as behind-the-scenes from the 45-day shoot.[7] Retail pricing set at $24.99 for Blu-ray combos.[9] The format targeted collectors, with Lionsgate shipping 200,000 units initially.[4]

Extras featured CinemaCon footage and cast interviews, totaling 45 minutes.[5] The August slot aligned with back-to-school buys, boosting family titles by 20% seasonally.[7] De Niro's catalog strength supported sales, as his films averaged 1.5 million home units per release.[8]

Lionsgate schedules About My Father Blu-ray and DVD street date for August 22, 2023.[9] The home video window caps the film's initial rollout, with Q3 earnings on August 3 tracking performance.

Sources

  1. [1] Reported 'About My Father': Kim Cattrall & Leslie Bibb on Working With Robert... — collider.com
  2. [2] Reported Kim Cattrall & Leslie Bibb Interview: About My Father - ScreenRant — screenrant.com
  3. [3] About My Father Official Trailer (2023) - Robert De Niro, Kim Cattrall... — youtube.com
  4. [4] Reported About My Father - Wikipedia — en.wikipedia.org
  5. [5] ABOUT MY FATHER movie Sebastian Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, Kim... — youtube.com
  6. [6] About My Father (A PopEntertainment.com Movie Review) — popentertainmentblog.com
  7. [7] Everything You Need to Know About About My Father Movie (2023) — movieinsider.com
  8. [8] About My Father (2023) - Rotten Tomatoes — rottentomatoes.com
  9. [9] About My Father arrives on Blu-ray & DVD in August - Inside Pulse — insidepulse.com
  10. [10] Official Website | May 26 2023 - About My Father — aboutmyfather.movie

Frequently asked questions

When did About My Father premiere in theaters?

About My Father was released in 3,000 theaters on May 26, 2023.

Who do Kim Cattrall and Leslie Bibb play in About My Father?

Kim Cattrall plays Tigger, Ellie's mother and a politician, while Leslie Bibb plays Ellie, Sebastian Maniscalco's girlfriend.

How long after its theatrical release did About My Father become available on digital platforms?

About My Father hit digital platforms on June 16, 2023, which was 21 days after its theatrical debut.