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Big Sundance Deal Getting Done: 'Splice'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals, Finance | Thursday February 11, 2010 @ 7:05pm PST

sundance 2010Well, it took a couple weeks beyond the conclusion of the Sundance Film Festival. But finally, there's a big, big deal on the verge of happening. I hear that Joel Silver and his Dark Castle label distributed by Warner Bros is in the last stages of closing a distribution deal for the genetic mutation thriller Splice. It will give the film a wide summer release on 3,000 screens, and a P&A commitment north of $25 million, and more likely in the vicinity of $35 million to $40 million. Midway through the festival, I reported that CAA was working on a sale that would have put the Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group at the center of the film's release, with distribution through Bob Berney’s Apparition, and a P&A commitment near $20 million that was to be supplied by an independent financing source. Until Silver and Dark Castle stepped up. (Of course, deals on the verge do fall apart...) Compared to the modest $5 million and lower sums paid for films at this year's Sundance, this is a huge bet by Dark Castle that it's found the next Paranormal Activity. The Vincenzo Natali-directed film is a modern Frankenstein story, starring Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody as genetic scientists who create humanoid life with nightmarish consequences.

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TOLDJA! Brett Ratner+Rogue Hook 'Catfish'

By NIKKI FINKE AND MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals | Wednesday February 3, 2010 @ 6:01pm PST

UPDATE: Brett Ratner & Relativity Make An Offer
UPDATES JJ Abrams & Jason Blum Ask Paramount To Catch 'Catfish'

UPDATE: We're told that the Paramount test screening of Catfish resulted in scores of 36% Excellent and 34% Very Good. For a total of 70%. That's good -- but not great.

sundance 2010EXCLUSIVE: Insiders tells us that, at the end, the Sundance hit film had three quiet bidders: Paramount, Fox, and Relativity's Rogue. Paramount was in it for JJ Abrams and Jason Blum. Fox, for themselves. And Ryan Kavanaugh for Ratner, with whom Rogue is making Movie 43. (Actually, Ratner is one of the components because that pic has 17 directors!) Last night, Paramount held a test screening we already told you about, and, reputedly, the documentary "scored 100% in the top 2 boxes" for the specially invited indie-lovin' audience. But that could just be hype. Rogue paid in the $1 million to $1.5 million vicinity for U.S. and other English-speaking territories except Australia. We hear Ratner didn't put up any dough, but "he's a particpant because he'll help to finish the final product since it's still rough. He'll refresh it," our insider says.

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JJ Abrams & Jason Blum Ask Paramount To Hook Sundance Hit 'Catfish': UPDATE: Brett Ratner & Relativity Make An Offer

By Nikki Finke | Category: Documentaries | Monday February 1, 2010 @ 8:30pm PST

EXCLUSIVE! 1 AM UPDATE: I was just told that Brett Ratner is saying that he and Relativity's Ryan Kavanaugh have made an offer for Catfish "with no need for test screenings". This is getting interesting!

sundance 2010EXCLUSIVE! 8:30 PM: Catfish was the Sundance offering widely thought to have the most commercial potential of any of this year's films even though it didn't win any awards. But the documentary was a hit with audiences there, as Mike Fleming previously reported, and got a resounding ovation for the cyber romance that develops between a 24-year old photographer and the sister of a youth who takes an interest in his work. Now I've learned that major Paramount player JJ Abrams and up-and-coming Paramount player Jason Blum are both interested in having the studio release the film. No deal -- yet.

But, towards that end, I've also confirmed that Paramount is having a test screening on the lot tomorrow to see how Catfish played before an audience. Kudos to two websites, FirstShowing.net and Cinematical.com who first found out about the test screening because of the Twitter buzz. According to FirstShowing, the invite "specifically mentions that attendees should have seen and enjoyed films like Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity, Slumdog Millionaire, or An Inconvenient Truth. Is it a coincidence that they just named three of Paramount's biggest indie successes in the last few years?" You think? JJ was the producer on Cloverfield, and Blum on Paranormal Activity.

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Paradigm Signs 4 Sundance Directors

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Agents, Directors | Monday February 1, 2010 @ 2:11pm PST

paradigmParadigm didn't rep films at Sundance, but the agency signed four directors whose films unspooled there: Holy Rollers co-writer/director Kevin Asch, New Low director Adam Bowers, and Homewrecker directing team Todd and Brad Barnes.

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More Sundance Deals: 'The Freebie' Wasn't

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals, Distribution | Monday February 1, 2010 @ 12:48pm PST

sundance 2010EXCLUSIVE: In the latest in a string of Sundance distribution deals, the relationship comedy The Freebie was acquired by Phase 4 Films. Price was low to mid-6-figures for North American rights and a summer release, sources said. Four companies chased it before the deal closed late Sunday. Katie Aselton wrote and directed the film. She also stars with Dax Shepard as a young couple whose marriage has grown stale after seven years. Looking to shake things up, they agree each can have a one-night stand with a stranger. Adele Romanski produced and Aselton was executive producer with her husband, Mark Duplass. He also had a Sundance debut of his film Cyrus, the Scott Free-produced Fox Searchlight comedy he directed with his brother, Jay Duplass. Phase 4's Berry Meyerowitz and acquisitions exec Larry Greenberg made the deal. It was the third Sundance transaction for Submarine’s Josh Braun, who teamed with CAA to sell the docu The Tillman Story to The Weinstein Company, and made a deal with Roadside Attractions for Winter’s Bone, right before that film won the Grand Jury Prize for Drama. Submarine is also near a deal for the docu Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work. Submarine's Jason Janego assisted.

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Indie Realities For Sundance Fest Films

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals, Finance | Sunday January 31, 2010 @ 5:15pm PST

sundance 2010The Sundance trophies have been handed out. The film crowd has left Park City to the skiers. So what kind of market was it? Better than expected, even if most of the deals were small ones. And compared to the zero that was Toronto, a veritable avalanche of very low 7-figure sales took place in Park City, with more expected in coming weeks. Some of the films have breakout potential, like The Kids Are All Right and the documentary Catfish. Others made great festival viewing, but questionable box office offerings. Buyers said they'd be surprised if any replicated the critical or financial success of last year’s Precious.

wintersbone_jThe only semi-sexy deal out of Toronto was A Single Man, which has grossed just $5.2 million since The Weinstein Co released it December 11th. This despite an engrossing story, strong acting, and gorgeous direction by Tom Ford, whose status as an iconic fashion designer helped sell the film. This 2010 Sundance offerings felt similarly small. Despite the manic deal-chasing by journalists like me, many of these films will likely play in art houses in limited release to elite audiences.

This was billed as the "new" Sundance festival under freshly installed director John Cooper. Even founder Robert Redford said the aim was to get back to indie basics. Buyers could have said the same. So many studio specialty divisions (aka faux indies) like Paramount Vantage, Miramax, Warner ... Read More »

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Sundance Film Festival Award Winners

By MIKE FLEMING | Saturday January 30, 2010 @ 7:34pm PST

sundance 2010Here are the complete list of 2010 winners:
(continuously updated):

The Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Dramatic Film went to Winter's Bone, the Debra Granik-directed drama set deep in the Ozark Mountains, where a teenage girl heads out to find her crystal meth-making father, who has gone missing. The film was acquired earlier this evening by Roadside Attractions.

The Grand Jury Prize for U.S. Documentary was awarded to Restrepo, in which conflict journalists Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington spent a year with the men of the 173rd Airborne's Second Platoon in the Al Qaeda stronghold of the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan. The documentary was a hot ticket through the festival. Junger's writing was the basis for The Perfect Storm. The title comes from Private First Class Juan Restrepo, who was slain, and whose comrades erected an outpost in his honor. National Geographic has broadcast rights to the docu.

The Best Director Prize for U.S. Dramatic Film went to Eric Mendelsohn for 3 Backyards, the drama that stars Edie Falco and Elias Koteas about three life-altering adventures that unfold on a seemingly ordinary day in the suburbs. The director hailed fest creator Robert Redford, saying he does what other governments do for film, and that "he can do no wrong".

The Documentary Directing Award went to Leon Gast, for Smash His Camera, a well received documentary on paparazzi pioneer Ron Galella, who was sued by Jackie O for his invasive work, and had his jaw broken by Marlon Brando. Gast previously directed the boxing docu When We Were Kings.

The Dramatic Grand Jury Prize in world cinema went to David Michod's Animal Kingdom.

The documentary The Oath won the Best Cinematography Award, accepted by DP Kirsten Johnson. The Laura Poitras-directed film is about two brothers in law who were associated with Al Qaeda.

The Cinematography Award for Drama went to Obselidia, directed by Diane Bell Several of those accepting awards hailed the work of Karen Schmeer, who was killed yesterday in a hit and run accident.

The U.S. Documentary Editing Award went to Penelope Falk.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award went to Winter's Bone, scripted by Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini.

The Audience Award for U.S. Documentary went to the Davis Guggenheim-directed Waiting for Superman.

The Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film went to the Josh Radnor-directed happythankyoumoreplease, a film that hasn’t yet received a domestic distribution deal, but which was well-liked by buyers and is expected sell.

The Special Jury Prize for Documentary went to the Josh Fox-directed GasLand, an expose on "fracking," a method of extracting natural gas from the ground that is wreaking havoc on the environment.

A Special Jury Prize also was awarded Sympathy for Delicious, a film which marked the directing debut of Mark Ruffalo, who said he and his cohorts "have gotten our asses handed to us by reviewers, and yet we're still here." Read More »

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When Twihards Attack At Sundance...

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Actors | Saturday January 30, 2010 @ 4:03pm PST

sundance 2010This is hilarious. I've learned that a slew of Kristen Stewart fans somehow got the personal e-mails of Sundance buyers who were circling her Jake Scott-directed film Welcome To The Rileys. In their avalanche of messages, twitters and texts, the Twihards are imploring the execs to buy and release the film starring the Twilight Saga heroine -- or at least get them DVDs of the pic. Among the surprised execs is Sony Pictures Classics' Michael Barker. The film is geared to an adult audience, but the filmmakers keep seeing mobs of young faces at every screening. (UPDATE: The fans say they are adults, not teens.) Three buyers are said to be circling, but no word yet if they are being swayed, or just annoyed, by the email campaign. UTA is shopping the movie, which also stars James Gandolfini. No reports so far of Sopranos fans muscling buyers on his behalf.

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Sundance: 'Winter's Bone' Goes Roadside

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Distribution | Saturday January 30, 2010 @ 3:45pm PST

sundance 2010There's yet another Sundance deal: Roadside attractions paid in the low- to mid-6 figures for North American distribution rights to writer/director Debra Granik's Winter's Bone. Roadside paid in the low- to mid-six figures for what's expected to be a summer theatrical release.

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Sundance: IFC Buys 'The Killer Inside Me'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals | Saturday January 30, 2010 @ 9:11am PST

sundance 2010After a marathon negotiation session that ended this morning, IFC acquired screen rights to The Killer Inside Me, the Michael Winterbottom-directed adaptation of Jim Thompson's best known work, the 1952 pulp fiction novel. Wild Bunch’s Carole Baraton and WME Global head Graham Taylor closed a deal worth between $1 million and $2 million for U.S. rights only and a late summer/early fall release. WME had its 3rd big deal in 3 days, after Wednesday’s sale of Hesher, Thursday’s deal for Blue Valentine, andthis morning's The Killer Inside Me deal.

The pic was scripted by John Curran, and produced by Chris Hanley, Bradford L. Schei and Andrew Eaton. It stars Casey Affleck, Jessica Alba and Kate Hudson. The Killer Inside Me was one of the most polarizing films of the festival, which is just how the noir novel was written. Buyers who caught its first screening were buzzing about how Winterbottom was confronted by angry women upset by a scene in which Affleck’s psychotic deputy sheriff character Lou Ford brutally pummels the face of a prostitute played by Alba. (Insiders tell me those reports thaat Alba walked out of the screening are bullshit. She had a pror commitment.) However, by being provocative and controversial, the pic also was able to distinguish itself in the crowded indie film marketplace. Buyers and reviewers I spoke with hailed the performances by Affleck — one of the most underrated young leading men working today — ... Read More »

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Sundance: Pyramide Buys 'Holy Rollers'

By Nikki Finke | Category: Distribution, Foreign | Friday January 29, 2010 @ 10:52pm PST

sundance 2010PARK CITY, UT (January 28, 2010) - Flache Pyramide has acquired from Cinetic International the French distribution rights to the 2010 Sundance Film Festival hit "Holy Rollers." Kevin Asch makes his directorial debut in the gritty coming of age story set against the backdrop of the international drug trade. Written by Antonio Macia, and starring Justin Bartha ("The Hangover"), Jesse Eisenberg ("Zombieland"), and Danny A. Abeckaser, the film made its worldwide debut at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. The deal was negotiated by Shebnem Askin-Schreger (head of Cinetic International) and Eric Lagesse (President of Pyramide Int'l). "Holy Rollers" is produced by Danny Abeckaser, Tory Tunnell, Per Melita, and Jen Gatien. Cinetic International negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.

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Sundance Sales Update: 'Blue Valentine'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Moguls | Friday January 29, 2010 @ 12:20pm PST

sundance 2010As the Sundance fest comes to a close, Harvey Weinstein acquired Blue Valentine in a WME-brokered deal. While IFC, Goldwyn and Oscilloscope made offers, The Weinstein Co was particularly aggressive with a low 7-figure offer. While the film isn't easy -- director Derek Cianfrance has shot an often painfully honest autopsy of a dead marriage -- Weinstein Co decisionmakers were convinced that the performance by Michelle Williams opposite Ryan Gosling is her strongest since Brokeback Mountain and has Oscar nomination potential. This now gives TWC a pair of films, counting the docu The Tillman Story. Other deals include the Joel Schumacher-directed Twelve to Hannover House, and the docu Family Affair to Oprah Winfrey’s OWN.

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'Tillman Story' Docu At Sundance Goal Line

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Distribution | Thursday January 28, 2010 @ 8:52pm PST

sundance 2010In the latest Sundance development, The Tillman Story is on the goal line for a distribution deal. The film -- about the tragic friendly fire death of gridiron star-turned Army ranger Pat Tillman and the dogged efforts of his family to find the truth of the cover-up -- is one of several documentaries which have captivated buyers. By late Thursday, The Weinstein Company had emerged the clear front-runner. I've learned Harvey Weinstein bid a minimum guarantee and P&A commitment that puts the deal at low seven-figures, and a marketing and release plan that will introduce the film during next Oscar season. The A&E-financed docu is being brokered by CAA and Submarine's Josh Braun. It is part of an uptick in deal-making, with deals made for Hesher, The Kids are All Right, Twelve, with Splice near closing. Heading into the fest's final weekend, buyer interest is high for happythankyoumoreplease, Catfish, Douchebag, Welcome to the Rileys, Winter's Bone, and High School.

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TOLDJA! Newmarket Acquires Hit 'Hesher'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals, Indie | Thursday January 28, 2010 @ 2:47pm PST

UPDATES Sundance Hit 'Hesher' Lands At Newmarket

PARK CITY, UT (January 28, 2010) – Nigel Sinclair and Chris Ball, Co-Chairmen of EMG, today announced Exclusive Media’s Newmarket Films has acquired U.S. rights to the Sundance favorite, HESHER, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt and Natalie Portman. The seven figure deal was reached early this morning following an extremely successful screening in Salt Lake City last night, and negotiated by WME Global and CAA on behalf of the film with Chris Ball and John Crye, Head of Acquisitions, on behalf of Newmarket. Since premiering at the festival last Friday, the film has picked up momentum with the fan boy driven audience who respond to the character of HESHER.

Read More »

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TOLDJA! Focus Buys 'Kids Are All Right'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Movies | Thursday January 28, 2010 @ 2:43pm PST

UPDATES Focus Gets Custody Of 'Kids' At Sundance Tonight

PARK CITY, UTAH, January 28th, 2010 – Following its acclaimed world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Focus Features has acquired domestic and select international rights (the U.K., Germany, and South Africa) to Lisa Cholodenko’s The Kids Are All Right. Focus Features CEO James Schamus made the announcement today.

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'Film Threat' Is Sold At Sundance

By Nikki Finke | Category: Internet | Thursday January 28, 2010 @ 7:53am PST

Film Threat founder Chris Gore has sold the webzine to former editor-in-chief Mark Bell for an undisclosed six-figure sum. Gore, who founded Film Threat 25 years ago, made the announcement during the Sundance Film Festival. Once upon a time a fanzine, then a glossy magazine from Larry Flynt, but most recently a lively indiefilm website, it will relaunch in February.

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Sundance Hit 'Hesher' Lands At Newmarket

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Deals, Distribution | Thursday January 28, 2010 @ 6:39am PST

EXCLUSIVE: sundance 2010With Sundance buyers so cautious, how can sellers get them excited enough to step up and make a distribution deal? For Hesher, the answer was showing the film to a paying crowd of regular moviegoers. After the pic received a rousing reception at last night's screening away from the festival at the Broadway Centre Cinemas in Salt Lake City, Newmarket captured U.S. distribution rights after an all-night bargaining session. Several other distributors were in the mix, insiders said. In the deal negotiated by WME Global’s Mark Ankner and CAA, Newmarket’s Chris Ball and John Crye paid a low 7-figure price and an “aggressive” P&A commitment. Read More »

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UPDATE: Focus Gets Custody Of 'Kids'; 'Let's Make A Deal' At Sundance Tonight

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Distribution | Tuesday January 26, 2010 @ 10:39pm PST

WEDNESDAY AM UPDATE: As I reported late last night, Focus Features was 99% done for a deal for distribution rights to the Lisa Cholodenko-directed comedy The Kids Are All Right. Now I can tell you an announcement is expected shortly that ends a bidding war that started last night and stretched into this morning. Sources tell me that Focus paid a shade under $5 million for domestic, and some foreign rights that include UK and Germany.

Focus was all over the property from the moment the premiere ended at the Library Center Theatre, with execs James Schamus, John Lyons and Andrew Karpen milling about Cinetic Media's Bart Walker. They presented a tight marketing plan and a big bid. Schamus and Cholodenko have a strong relationship that goes back to Laurel Canyon in his Good Machine days. Schamus is also tight with Julianne Moore, going back to the Todd Haynes-directed Far From Heaven, which Focus released.

Summit Entertainment, Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics and The Weinstein Co. were also in the chase, particularly Summit and Searchlight. More details as they come in.

TUESDAY 11:30 PM: After a sluggish start, buyers and sellers are getting down to it tonight. Focus Features is emerging as the favorite just now to acquire The Kids Are All Right, the Lisa Cholodenko-directed comedy that came out of its Monday evening premiere looking like the festival film with the greatest breakout potential. The rousing Library Center Theatre debut screening of the laffer -- which stars Julianne Moore, Annette ... Read More »

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Apparition And Sony About To Buy 'Splice'? (But Newmarket Is Still In It)

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Movies | Monday January 25, 2010 @ 4:44pm PST

sundance 2010Sources are telling me that Bob Berney's Apparition will team with the Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group to acquire screen rights and DVD to Splice, the thriller that made its Sundance debut several days ago in a midnight screening. That is, unless Newmarket steps up big at the 11th hour. I don't have official confirmation yet. But my sources say Apparition will post a minimum guarantee around $2.5 million while an independent source supply a $20 million P&A fund in a deal being wrapped up by CAA by tomorrow, hopefully. (Yes, Apparition does have that DVD output deal with Sony Worldwide Acquisitions Group. But I was told by the reps that Sony is the mover in this deal.) The pic, directed by Vincenzo Natali (Cube), is a modern day Frankenstein story, with Sarah Polley and Adrien Brody playing genetic scientists who create humanoid life with nightmarish consequences.

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TOLDJA! Lionsgate Buys U.S. & Canadian Rights: Sundance Bids For Ryan's 'Buried'

By MIKE FLEMING | Category: Movies | Sunday January 24, 2010 @ 4:43pm PST

sundance 20104:30PM UPDATE: Lionsgate just bought Buried today for what I hear is between $3M and $4M. That's low but not bad for the first major feature pickup at Sundance. Directed by Rodrigo Cortés and starring Ryan Reynolds, the thriller was written by Chris Sparling and produced by Adrián Guerra and Peter Safran. Jason Constantine, LG prez of acquisitions, said in a statement, "Buried is one of the tightest, most intense thrillers we’ve ever seen, and we were absolutely determined to bring it home to Lionsgate. Buried is a powerful reminder that all you really need for an unforgettable movie experience is a great story, inventive filmmaking and brilliant acting.  And because of the combined excellence of Rodrigo, Ryan and Chris, it’s all there." UTA did the deal, even though it doesn't rep Reynolds anymore. Darren Statt took him to CAA.

12:30PM: What is it with midnight screenings that are attracting so many bids at this Sundance? Buyers have been staying up late and opening their wallets. I hear that, after Buried premiered late last night, Lionsgate and Fox Searchlight and two others are in deal-making mode with UTA. Read More »

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