Gravitas Ventures has acquired all North American rights to Joel Allen Schroeder’s documentary Dear Mr. Watterson.

The film explores the phenomenon of Bill Watterson’s popular 1980s and 1990s comic strip Calvin & Hobbes.

Gravitas Ventures will partner with Submarine Deluxe on a theatrical and VoD release commencing on Nov 15.

Calvin & Hobbes dominated the comics sections of thousands of newspapers for more than 10 years before Watterson retired the strip on New Year’s Eve 1995.

The film recently received its North American premiere at the Cleveland International Film Festival.

Schroeder wrote and produced Dear Mr. Watterson and it took him six years to make, backed by a Kickstarter campaign that generated more than $120,000.

Christopher Browne and Matt McUsic also produced.

Gravitas Ventures vp of business affairs Brendan Gallagher brokered the deal with Chris Perez of Donaldson & Callif on behalf of the filmmaker.