EXCLUSIVE: The dealmaking has begun. Searchlight Footage closed the primary main deal on the bottom on the Sundance Movie Competition — $10 million for WW rights for A Actual Ache, directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg. He stars with freshly minted Emmy successful Succession star Kieran Culkin as mismatched cousins David and Benji. They reunite for a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother, however older tensions resurface towards the backdrop of their household’s historical past. The movie will get a giant theatrical launch later this 12 months.
Pic additionally stars Jennifer Gray, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan (Beasts of No Nation), Liza Sadovy (“A Small Mild”), and Daniel Oreskes (Solely Murders within the Constructing). and it’s produced by Subject and Fruit Tree, with Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Ewa Puszczynska, Jennifer Semler, Eisenberg and Emma Stone all producing. The movie, taking part in within the US Dramatic Competitors, has been a buzz title coming in and bidding buzz has mounted since its premiere yesterday at Eccles.
Deal was brokered by CAA Media Finance and WME. It was a correct all-nighter public sale, a throwback to years previous in Sundance. Quite a few bidders had been within the combine. Searchlight execs Paul Hoffman and Chan Phung brokered the deal.
“We’re blown away by Jesse’s imaginative and prescient and craft in telling this hilarious and profound movie,” mentioned Searchlight Presidents Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum. “He tells a deeply private story and makes it common. We will’t wait to carry it to audiences all over the world.”
Eisenberg added, “Making A Actual Ache was a real labor of affection, and it has been so thrilling to premiere at Sundance. I couldn’t be extra honored to work with Searchlight and to carry this story to a wider viewers.”
“We couldn’t be extra pleased with Jesse and this stunning movie, and are completely thrilled to re-team with David, Matthew and our pals at Searchlight on its launch,” mentioned Ryan Heller, EVP of Movie and Documentary at Subject Studios.
Stated the Fruit Tree camp: “We’re the utmost believers in Jesse as a inventive voice and had been thrilled to collaborate once more on his second movie with such bold scope and themes. To have one other good friend and beloved collaborator on board in Kieran Culkin was greater than we are able to ask for, as working with the wonderful staff at Searchlight.”
Searchlight is in enterprise with Stone proper now on the Oscar contending Yorgos Lanthimos-directed Golden Lion and Golden Globe winner Poor Issues; and Andrew Haigh’s critically acclaimed romantic drama All of Us Strangers. Searchlight world premiering at Sundance the Laura Chinn-directed Suncoast, starring Laura Linney, Nico Parker, and Woody Harrelson. Searchlight has an extended report of tapping Sundance gems from Napoleon Dynamite to final 12 months’s offers for Theater Camp and Journal Desires, the latter undone not due to the movie’s high quality and performances, however due to star Jonathan Majors’ authorized issues.
There was lots of enthusiasm for a lot of movies that premiered within the fest’s opening body, with extra to come back in the present day. Extra discuss of offers than I’ve heard at this level within the competition, in a number of years. Undecided there’s going to be a report breaker just like the $25 million Apple paid for eventual Greatest Image Oscar winner CODA, however lots of these movies will discover houses. Likely received’t promote till consumers and sellers go residence, as a result of the dealmaking tempo is far more deliberate than previously as a result of you possibly can recognize the artistry of a movie, however you need to be certain you possibly can promote it and launch it and make some cash. However it’s an excellent time in Park Metropolis.
