Richard Linklater film to open New York Film Festival

New York — Richard Linklater's The Last Flag Flying will open the 55th New York Film Festival.

The latest from Linklater is described as a "lyrical road movie." It stars Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne as a trio of Navy veterans who reunite to bury the son of Carell's character, who has been killed in the Iraq War. It's conceived of as a kind of sequel to 1973's The Last Detail, with Jack Nicholson.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced the selection Monday, handing The Last Flag Flying one of the fall film festival circuit's premiere slots. Amazon Studios will release the film on Nov. 17.

The New York Film Festival runs 28 September - 15 October.

Linklater's two most recent films were Everybody Wants Some!! and the Oscar-nominated Boyhood.