‘Gone Girl’ to Open New York Film Festival

David Fincher’s film version of Gone Girl, starring Ben Affleck, will make its world premiere as the opening night gala screening at this year’s New York Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.

The film features Rosamund Pike as a woman who mysteriously vanishes, with her husband (Affleck) suspected of killing her, and is based on Gillian Flynn’s best-selling novel. Flynn wrote the screenplay for the movie, which Reese Witherspoon’s Pacific Standard is producing alongside New Regency. 20th Century Fox is set to release the movie Oct. 3.

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“Gone Girl is so many things at once: sharp as a razor about many aspects of American life that have been untouched by movies, very tough and just as funny, brilliantly acted, and 100% entertaining — a wild ride from start to finish,” New York Film Festival director and selection committee chair Kent Jones said in a press release officially announcing the news on Thursday. “In short, a great American movie based on a literary phenomenon, directed by one of the best filmmakers alive. I’m so proud to have the world premiere of this film as our opening night.”

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Gone Girl also stars Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry.

The festival also announced that its opening night after-party would return to Tavern on the Green, the famous Central Park restaurant that served as the site of the festival’s opening night after-parties until the eatery closed in 2009. Tavern on the Green was reopened in May.

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Last year’s opening-night screening at the festival was Captain Phillips, which went on to earn six Oscar nods, including a best picture nomination. Last year’s festival also featured screenings of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty in its centerpiece spot and Her as the closing night film. In addition, screenings of future Oscar contenders 12 Years a Slave and Nebraska also took place at the festival.

The festival is seen as an important stop in awards season. Fincher’s The Social Network opened the festival in 2010.

The 52nd annual New York Film Festival runs Sept. 26-Oct. 12. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Sunday, Sept. 7, but members of the Film Society of Lincoln Center, which puts on the festival, have access to an exclusive pre-sale period, beginning July 31.