Mixtape - What We Know So Far
Netflix is going analog with "Mixtape," an upcoming family film that revolves around an emotionally significant cassette tape. It's set at the turn of the millennium and follows a girl on a journey as she tries to learn about who her late parents were by reconstructing the songs on a broken mixtape they made for each other.
"Mixtape" has been in the works for a very long time. The script, which was written by Stacey Menear, was included on the 2009 Black List, the annual list of Hollywood's best unproduced screenplays, according to Deadline. In 2012, Deadline reported that the movie was set up with director Tom Vaughn, but as the years went by it ended up not happening. Now, more than a decade after Menear won the American Zoetrope screenwriting contest with his script, the movie is ready to go.
"Mixtape" is directed by Valerie Weiss, who is best known as a director of TV shows like "Outer Banks," "Scandal," and "How to Get Away with Murder," with script rewrites by "The Half of It" writer-director Alice Wu, according to Deadline.
Here's what else we know so far about "Mixtape," which is not to be confused with "Soundtrack," a canceled Netflix show that was originally called "Mixtape" when it was developed as a pilot for Fox.
When will Mixtape be released?
Movie Insider reports that "Mixtape" is coming to Netflix in December 2021, which is a projection. Netflix has not announced a release date, but there is a landing page for the movie on the streaming service, which means it's coming relatively soon. The page's tags describe the film as a family drama that's "heartfelt," "emotional," and "feel-good." The movie was filmed earlier this year in British Columbia, according to Production List. It's part of a growing wave of Netflix Original family films, which have recently included "Feel the Beat," "Yes Day," and "Tall Girl," to name just a few.
The film is produced by Gil Netter, who according to IMDb previously produced hits including "Life of Pi" and "The Blind Side," both of which were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture, and Jim Wedaa, who produced the 2016 horror movie "The Boy," which was written by Stacey Menear.
Who's in the cast of Mixtape?
"Mixtape" stars Julie Bowen, who's best known for playing Claire Dunphy for 11 seasons on the hit comedy series "Modern Family." She won two Emmys for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her performance. She also appeared in "Happy Gilmore." Bowen plays Gail, the grandmother of the main character, Beverly Moody, who raised her after her parents died.
Beverly is played by Gemma Brooke Allen, a child star who has appeared on shows including "Dr. Ken," "SEAL Team," and "Teachers." Beverly's friends are Ellen and Nicky, who are played by newcomers Audrey Hsieh and Olga Petsa, respectively. Comedian Nick Thune plays Anti, a crabby record store owner who's an invaluable help to Beverly in tracking down the songs on the mixtape.
And Jackson Rathbone — best known for playing vampire Jasper Hale in the "Twilight" film franchise — plays Wes, who Deadline describes as an embittered musician who knew Beverly's mother a long time ago and doesn't have anything nice to say about her.
What's the plot of Mixtape?
Here's the official synopsis from Netflix: "On the eve of Y2k, orphaned, awkward 12-year-old Beverly Moody discovers a broken mixtape crafted by her teen parents. Raised by her grandmother Gail, a former teen mom herself who finds it painful to speak about her late daughter, Beverly sees this mixtape as a chance to finally learn more about her parents. So she sets out on a journey to find all the songs on the tape. Along the way, she makes friends with her quirky neighbor, Ellen; intimidatingly tough, Nicky; and Anti, an anti-everything record store owner who's the key to finding these tracks, and a renewed bond between Gail and Beverly."
Director Valerie Weiss said that the film is personal to her. "As a mother of two girls at the precipice of child and adulthood, I felt compelled to direct this story of a 12-year old girl trying to find her identity through music, friendship and connection with her young grandmother who is raising her," she said. She said that the film celebrates '90s music and fashion, and she hopes it inspires girls like her daughters to want to make the world a better place by connecting with the people around them.