Early reviews for BlackBerry have been overwhelmingly positive, and the film seems genuinely exciting. So, here’s everything we know about BlackBerry so far.
Movies about entrepreneurs who changed the world forever have been a big success for some time now. Recent movies like The Social Network, Steve Jobs, The Founder, and the recently released AIR, tells us the story behind one of the most famous shoe brand in history. These kinds of films inspire and inform people from their stories, and that’s why they have been a big hit between both the critics and the audience.
Now, we are going to see the story behind one of the most trusted and used mobile brands ever BlackBerry, through a darkly comedic lens. The upcoming film will tell us the story of a socially awkward yet brilliant tech inventor Mike Lazaridis and a hard-headed businessman Jim Balsillie, who gave the world its first smartphone in BlackBerry. While BlackBerry quickly became a big success throughout the world but its success was however short lives as the launch of the iPhone made BlackBerry’s technology quite antiquated.
BlackBerry is based on a best-selling book titled Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of Blackberry written by the brilliant Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff. BlackBerry’s screenplay is written by Matt Johnson and Matthew Miller, who also produce the film through their production company Zapruder Films. While Johnson also directed the film. BlackBerry was originally supposed to be a three-part series to be co-produced by the CBC, but Johnson and Miller made the choice to make their screenplay into a film.
BlackBerry – Plot (What is it About?)
The official synopsis for BlackBerry provided by IFC Films is:
“Every era has its visionaries, and ‘BlackBerry,’ co-written by Director Matt Johnson and Producer Matthew Miller, investigates the brilliance of the individuals that invented the world’s first smartphone. Recounting the Canadian company’s humble yet chaotic rise to market dominance, ‘BlackBerry’ is a darkly comedic telling of the tragic tale of a Canadian company that revolutionized the way we communicate, before swiftly plummeting into obsolescence.
It’s 1996, and Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and his business partner and best friend Douglas Fregin (Matt Johnson) are on the edge of creating the world’s first smartphone. Unfortunately for them, they are less business savvy than they are tech and struggle to keep their company, Research in Motion, afloat. Everything changes when cunning businessman Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton) agrees to join the company, bringing with him the money and experience needed to create and sell a prototype of their invention.
Seemingly overnight the three men revolutionize the way people work, communicate and connect. Celebrities, politicians, and businessmen are now addicted to their BlackBerrys. The company’s value skyrockets, yet within a few short years shady business dealings, personal grievances, and, perhaps most dangerously, the iPhone, threaten the company’s incredible success.”
BlackBerry – Trailer
BlackBerry – Release Date (When is it Coming Out?)
BlackBerry is all set to release in the United States theaters on May 12, 2023, through IFC Films. The film is expected to be released early in Canada, with it coming to theaters on April 28 through Elevation Pictures. The international release of BlackBerry will be handled by Paramount Global Content Distribution but a specific release date has not been announced yet.
BlackBerry – Cast (Who is in It?)
BlackBerry stars the always funny Canadian actor Jay Baruchel as Mike Lazaridis, who previously starred in brilliant comedy films like Tropic Thunder, She’s Out of My League, and The Trotsky. In the second lead role of Jim Balsillie, we will see the long-running comedy series It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor Glenn Howerton. He also starred in brilliant comedy shows and movies like A.P. Bio and The Hunt.
BlackBerry also stars Michael Ironside (Scanners) as Charles Purdy, Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride) as Carl Yankowski, Saul Rubinek (True Romance) as John Woodman, Rich Sommer (Mad Men) as Paul Stannos, Martin Donovan (Weeds), SungWon Cho as Ritchie Cheung, and Michelle Giroux as Dara Frankel.