Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions have officially acquired Somewhere in Queens, the directorial debut of actor Ray Romano. Romano, a three-time Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series, will also portray the lead role in the film while acting as the film’s producer and producer screenwriter.
Somewhere in Queens will follow Leo Russo (Romano) as he lives a relatively simple life in Queens, NY with his wife Angela (Laura Metcalf) and their son “Sticks” (Jacob Ward) in the middle of New York’s tightly-knit Italian-American community. Working in construction alongside his father (Tony Lo Bianco) and brother (Sebastian Maniscalco), Leo does his best to support his son’s high school basketball career; when Sticks receives an opportunity to play college basketball that will change the family’s lives, Leo jumps at the chance to become something more than the family construction business but “when sudden heartbreak threatens to derail Sticks, Leo goes to unexpected lengths to keep his son on this new path”, per Deadline.
As an actor, Ray Romano is likely best known for his role as Raymond Barone in the 1996 sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond, a role which won him three Emmy Awards. Additionally, Romano has also served as the voice of wooly mammoth Manny in Blue Sky’s Ice Age franchise since its inception in 2002, with the role expanding into video games and TV specials like Ice Age: The Great Eggs-capade (2016).
Romano also served as a writer for fourteen episodes of Everybody Loves Raymond across eight seasons, along with serving as a writer and producer for Men of a Certain Age (2009), a comedy-drama series created by Romano himself.
‘Somewhere in Queens’ Snagged by Lionsgate & Roadside Attractions
Lionsgate and Roadside Attraction have officially acquired the rights to Ray Romano’s directorial debut in Somewhere in Queens, with Roadside reportedly prepping the film for a theatrical release in 2023.
Regarding the film’s acquisition, Ray Romano told Deadline the following:
Howard Cohen, co-president of Roadside Attractions, also stated that “We at Roadside fell in love with Ray Romano’s accomplished directorial debut, which takes us into the heart of the boisterous and unforgettable Russo family in Queens. Ray finds deeply satisfying drama and humor in their ostentatious celebrations and caustic expressions of love.”
Lionsgate’s Executive Vice President for Acquisitions, Eda Kowan, added that Lionsgate is “very proud to be distributing the film with our partners at Roadside and feel it will really connect with audiences.”
Somewhere in Queens, directed by Ray Romano, will be released in theaters sometime next year. More information on the film’s expected release date will likely become available as production continues.
