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Casino Jack, the drama that stars Kevin Spacey as disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, has a new home. ATO Pictures has acquired US theatrical rights to a film which was orphaned when its original distributor, Metropolitan, failed to meet its commitments and the picture was pulled back for breach of contract. ATO is best known for having singer Dave Matthews and music exec Coran Capshaw as its co-founders.
ATO Pictures will distribute the George Hickenlooper-directed drama in December. The George Hickenlooper-directed film will be platformed at the Toronto International Film Festival, and gets its chance at awards season, with Spacey’s performance in particular garnering raves at early private showings. The film makes its festival premiere at Toronto on September 16, with filmmaker and cast in tow.
“It is not only one of the most refreshing and entertaining films we’ve seen in a long time, but, it also fits in perfectly with a strategy of releasing high quality, engaging stories that appeal to mainstream audiences,” ATO co-founders Johnathan Dorfman and Temple Fennell said in a statement. ATO releases theatrically though Independent Distribution Partners, its partnership with Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Jack Abramoff Pic ‘Casino Jack’ Being Shown To Distributors; Metropolitan Denies It’s Out
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Now if only George Higgenlooper would stop posting the most self aggrandizing facebook posting, we can all die in peace.
A response to Butter:
1. I consider getting a movie made and distrubuted as easy as taking Wilshire from Downtown Los Angeles to Santa Monica without hitting a red light…that said, when someone pulls either off, I WOULD TELL EVERYONE!!!
2. There’s a function on Facebook where you can hide a person’s updates…so if you do not wish to see them, just turn it off!
3. Casino Jack looks great and I can’t wait to see it…I learned of it through Facebook.
4. How many movies have you made?
This is a superb film that I had the honor of screening a few months back. While Kevin Spacey delivers another predictably steller performance, I think many will be speechless and stunned by the outstanding depth of Kelly Preston’s turn as Abramoff’s conflicted wife. Definitely worth seeing!
As cute as it is to watch Spacey, there is no reason whatsoever to see this film. I was at the same screening at the Landmark and this thing tanks…and tanks…and tanks. I feel sorry for well-meaning rookies like ATO – who haven’t got a clue about what they’re doing … yet. But they will learn. And of course it ALWAYS has to be the hard way.
Well-deserved. I was lucky enough to see a screening earlier this year – a great film.
Dear Butter,
No one is hoping you pass away anytime soon. And as to my Facebook posts, isn’t that what it’s about? As an independent filmmaker I can’t afford a full time or any time publicist, so when I post information about my film, it’s simply to build a certain level of enthusiasm to actually get people to see it. Unfortunately, I don’t have a studio apparatus or fan boy cult to do that for me, so I do it the old fashioned way. Myself.
I will say that I am happy to have you as a friend on Facebook. GH
Be happy bro, its a tough enough business without haters adding to the mix… This website breeds comments by all those who can’t really succeed in this business. My haters will arrive in December… Be proud of what you have accomplished and congratulations…
Holy Cow! Somebody in the industry actually posting on Nikki Finke and using their real name?! Not the per usual hack agents and execs tossing anonymous cheap shots in from the sidelines.
Big surprise. Took an actual filmmaker to say something and attach his name to it. George gets the statue today! Go George.
Good luck to Temple at ATO. Great guy. Hard road ahead in indie distrib, but it’s a hole that needs filling.
Congrats to the filmmakers! Now, where’s Nick DeMaio (James Schramm) defiantly blustering about how his pal James Schramm (himself) still owns and is going to release the film? Come on, buddy! Call us all cowards and uninformed children again! How we’ve missed you and all your grammatical errors….
James Schramm decided to release the rights back to the producer in order for the new distributor to release it. You are a complete idiot Mike. James Schramm had the rights all the way up to three weeks ago when he decided to release the film back to the producers because he had issues with his investor trusting the producers lawyer and the producers past history with the FBI. I know Nick and he is a different person than James. You have problems dude. Call Gary Hausum and confirm it so you can feel like an ass, making up BS.
Get a Life Money Mike
Sorry GH, but you do sound pompous on FB…own it.
God bless you George. Keep at it. DC is excited about this picture!
Remember when people used Facebook for actual personal communication with actual friends? I’d think a “fan” page on the site might be more appropriate place to attempt to build public enthusiasm for work projects.
I had the pleasure of seeing Casino Jack and the United States of Money (a documentary on the same subject) at Full Frame this year and loved it. There’s something to be said for fictionalizing a story for mainstream audiences, but I hope the documentary release doesn’t get eclipsed by this one. What’s more dramatic than the real story after all?
So glad this movie will get its due! Go JD go!
This film is a mess
I think George should do whatever he can to promote himself and the movie…..pompous or not. In this present day media miasma, you’ve got to bellow quite loud to get your potential audience’s attention. Brag away George.
I was apart of the first audience to see a rough cut of this film at the Denver Film Festival last year. (George’s brother is John, the mayor of Denver running for Governor of Colorado). It was a great film and should be considered for serious awards consideration! The audience was captivated by it especially Kelly Preston’s performance. Glad its getting distributed.