Tribeca: Schwarzenegger zombie film, Arquette mob movie to premiere

A zombie thriller starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, a mob romance starring Patricia Arquette, and documentaries about Noam Chomsky and Roseanne Barr will be some of the films world-premiering in the Tribeca Film Festival’s Spotlight section.

Festival organizers announced Thursday that the scripted tales will include Henry Hobson’s “Maggie,” which stars Schwarzenegger as a farmer who refuses to accept defeat when his daughter (Abigail Breslin) is infected by zombies, and Nick Sandow’s “The Wannabe,” starring Arquette as one-half a duo (with Vincent Piazza) that begins robbing New York’s mafia elite.

Other narrative films making their world premiere in the Spotlight section include William Monahan’s “Mojave,” a desert-set thriller starring Oscar Isaac and Garrett Hedlund; Tim Blake Nelson’s ensemble drama “Anesthesia,” starring Sam Waterston, Kristen Stewart and Glenn Close; and Robert Edwards’ “When I Live My Life Over Again,” starring Amber Heard as a singer-songwriter trying to make her mark.

The Spotlight documentary offerings include Eric Weinrib’s “Roseanne for President!,” about comedian Roseanne Barr’s 2012 presidential campaign; Peter Hutchison, Kelly Nyks and Jared P. Scott’s “Requiem for the American Dream,” an exploration of financial inequality in the U.S. with Noam Chomsky; and Lisa Immordino Vreeland ‘s “Peggy Guggenheim: Art Addict,” about the socialite and art collector.

The festival also announced its Midnight and Special Screening sections. The former features five genre films and a performance of “Rifftrax Live: The Room,” a skewering of Tommy Wiseau’s cult film “The Room” by the cast members of “Mystery Science Theater 3000.”

Special Screenings include Nelson George’s “A Ballerina’s Tale,” a documentary about Misty Copeland, and a newly restored print of Ted Wilde’s 1928 silent comedy “Speedy,” starring Harold Lloyd.

On Tuesday, the festival announced its competition titles.

The Tribeca Film Festival kicks off April 15 with the “Saturday Night Live” documentary “Live From New York” and runs through April 26.

Follow @ogettell for movie news