Sometimes we all need a good laugh from the late Robin Williams, and Max is going to deliver exactly that next month. The Birdcage, the 1996 classic comedy which Williams stars in alongside Nathan Lane, Gene Hackman, and Dianne Wiest, will officially begin streaming on Max starting September 1. The film follows a gay cabaret owner and his drag queen companion who fake being straight so they can meet their son’s fiancée’s extremely traditional and conservative parents. The Birdcage joins other hit movies on Max next month such as The Martian, the sci-fi space epic directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon and Jessica Chastain. In addition to Williams, Lane, Hackman, and West, The Birdcage also stars Hank Azaria, Calista Flockhart, and Don Futterman, and currently sits at impressive scores of 84% from critics and 81% from general audiences on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Birdcage is a remake of the 1978 film La Cage Aux Folles, which was written by Jean Poiret, Francis Veber, Eduoard Molinaro, and Marcello Danon, who all have credit for the script on the 1996 film as well. The screenplay for the remake was penned by Elaine May, who is best known for her work writing Primary Colors, the 1998 dramedy starring John Travolta and Kathy Bates. The Birdcage was directed by Mike Nichols, who won an Oscar in 1968 for his work helming The Graduate, and has also been nominated four other times in his career. Nichols sadly passed away in 2014, and his most recent work came seven years prior in Charlie Wilson’s War, the political drama starring Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams.
Did Robin Williams Ever Win an Oscar?
Robin Williams did win an Oscar in 1998 for his role alongside Matt Damon in Good Will Hunting, the film which also saw scribes Damon and co-star Ben Affleck win an award for Best Writing. Williams was nominated for an Academy Award three other times in his career, with the earlier being for his leading role in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), and the others from Dead Poets Society (1989) and The Fisher King (1991).
The Birdcage stars Robin Williams and Hank Azaria and was written by Elaine May and directed by Mike Nichols. Stay tuned to Collider for future streaming updates and watch The Birdcage on Max starting September 1.
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