Summary
- Halfway to Amarillo is a meta-Western comedy where the protagonist’s characters come to life, causing chaos in his life.
- The film is directed by Burt Binder, known for his work as a producer, and making his directorial debut.
- The film has received positive reception, winning “Best Independent Feature” at the IFS Los Angeles Film Festival.
What happens when characters you’ve created come to life? That is the question posed by the upcoming meta-Western comedy, Halfway to Amarillo, for which a new trailer has now been released. Coming courtesy of Rapid Trailer, Halfway to Amarillo follows writer Michael Coleman, who gets stuck while writing his second novel, a Western, when the two main characters leap off the page and wreak havoc on his life, forcing him to reevaluate his priorities. Check out the trailer for Halfway to Amarillo below.
“Michael Coleman is working on a novel that will make or break his career. Halfway through, he completely loses the plot and comes down with a devastating case of “Writer’s Block,”” the official synopsis for Halfway to Amarillo reads. “At his lowest point, the main character from his novel, an outlaw named Eli West, leaps out of the novel and throws a wrench into Michael’s life. As if that’s not bad enough, the villain, a crooked sheriff named Morgan Ambrose, follows in quick pursuit.”
Halfway to Amarillo is written and directed by Burt Binder, who makes his directorial debut with the comedy. The first-time filmmaker is best known for The Comedy Store (2020), Dirty Daddy: The Bob Saget Tribute (2022), and Stolen Season (2020), as well as his work as a producer on Bill Burr: Live at Red Rocks (2022).
Alongside helming the project, Binder will also lead the cast of Halfway to Amarillo as the struggling writer Michael Coleman, with the rest of the cast comprised of Peter Giles (Modern Family, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Hulu’s Into the Dark) as Sheriff Morgan Ambrose, Lindsey G. Smith (2 Guns, God’s Not Dead, Happy Death Day) as Naomi, and Luke Jones (Tommy, Baskets, FBI: Most Wanted) as the outlaw Eli West. The likes of Felicia Michaels, Reinaldo Garcia, Frank Castillo, and Warner Hiatt also star.
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Halfway to Amarillo Won Best Independent Feature at the Ifs Los Angeles Film Festival
Gravitas Ventures
Shot during the summer of 2021 on a shoestring budget and over the course of ten days, Halfway to Amarillo is “the product of the hard work and passion of an extremely talented group of actors, technicians, and indie filmmakers that decided it was time to develop a project of their own,” a statement reads.
After a year of post-production, the film has gone on to have an extremely successful festival running. In March of 2023, the film was awarded “Best Independent Feature” at the IFS Los Angeles Film Festival. Halfway to Amarillo was also part of the official selection at the RiverRun International Film, Lack Travis Film Festival, The More Than Decent Film Festival and more.
This year has had plenty to offer comedy fans, with the likes of Red, White, and Royal Blue, Strays, Bottoms, They Cloned Tyrone, Joy Ride, No Hard Feelings, and the billion dollar blockbuster that is Barbie having already given audiences lots to smile about. And there’s still plenty to come, as What Happens Later, Next Goal Wins, Wish, Family Switch, Wonka, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, and more all set for release this year.
Halfway to Amarillo is due to be released on digital platforms in November 2023.
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