Louis C.K.’s ‘I Love You, Daddy’ release scrapped amid misconduct allegations

Variety
Updated

The release of Louis C.K.’s new film I Love You, Daddy has been scrapped in the wake of sexual misconduct allegations levied against the comedian.

“The Orchard will not be moving forward with the release of I Love You, Daddy,” the indie film company announced on Friday morning.

The New York Times published a bombshell report on Thursday in which five women accused the comic of sexual misconduct.

The Orchard also canceled Thursday’s New York premiere of the controversial film leading up to the Times expose. The comedy had been set to open in limited release on Nov. 17 before going wide in the following weeks.

I Love You, Daddy had already generated controversy heading into its debut for an inter-generational romance at the core of the drama. It centers on a successful television writer whose daughter becomes the object of an older filmmaker idol’s obsessions. His daughter, played by Chloë Grace Moretz, is 17. The director is played by John Malkovich, who is several decades removed from the teenager. C.K. stars in the film, as well as wrote and directed it.

The Orchard spent $5 million for rights to the film out of the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere this September. It is the second time that a high-profile festival acquisition has been undone by allegations surrounding its driving creative force. In 2016, The Birth of the Nation saw its Oscar chances explode and its box office prospects evaporate after reports emerged that Nate Parker, its star, director, producer and co-writer, had been accused of rape while a college student. Fox Searchlight had paid $17.5 million for rights to the film out of Sundance. It’s unclear if the Orchard will be able to get its money back.

Since the story on C.K. broke, the comedian’s HBO projects, which include Lucky Louie, are being removed from the premium cable channel’s on-demand services. In addition, the network said that C.K. will no longer be participating in its Night of Too Many Stars charity special. FX Networks, which produce’s C.K.’s acclaimed series Louie, said it was conduct a “review” in light of the allegations.

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