SXSW: 'Cabin in the Woods' opening night film

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Published on January 12, 2012 08:00PM EST

The hotly anticipated horror film The Cabin in the Woods will open the 2012 SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Tex., on March 9, the festival announced today. Produced by Joss Whedon, and co-written by Whedon with director Drew Goddard, The Cabin in the Woods stars Chris Hemsworth, Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Richard Jenkins, and Bradley Whitford, and promises to take on the classic horror genre with Whedon's signature wit. It hits theaters April 13. Whedon will also be on hand for a filmmaker panel the following day.

The festival also announced today that the first three episodes of HBO's Girls, the new series from up-and-coming filmmaker Lena Dunham and exec producer Judd Apatow, will premiere at the fest. Other world premieres at SXSW include Small Apartments, a skewed dark comedy from music video director Jonas Åkerlund (Lady Gaga, Madonna), which stars the most eclectic cast assembled in many a season: Matt Lucas (Bridesmaids, Little Britain), Billy Crystal, James Caan, Johnny Knoxville, Juno Temple, James Marsden, Dolph Lundgren, Saffron Burrows, DJ Qualls, and Rosie Perez. And the Bob Marley documentary MARLEY, from director Kevin Macdonald (The Last King of Scotland, the Oscar-winning doc One Day in September), will have its North American premiere.

The SXSW Film Festival runs from March 9-17. Last year, Bridesmaids, Source Code, Conan O'Brien Can't Stop, and The Beaver all premiered at the festival.

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