Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions (SPWA) has acquired Latin America, Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, South Africa from Panorama Media to Bennett Miller’s (pictured) Moneyball follow-up. In other developments, Phase 4 Films has picked up North American rights to Long Time Gone, while Factory 25 has acquired world rights to The Sheik And I.

Foxcatcher stars Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller, Vanessa Redgrave and Anthony Michael Hall in the true story of multimillionaire schizophrenic John du Pont who killed Olympic wrestler David Schultz.

Dan Futterman and E Max Frye wrote the screenplay and Annapurna’s Megan Ellison is producing alongside Anthony Bregman and Miller. Production is underway and as previously reported, Columbia Pictures will distribute in the US.

  • Long Time Gone comes from Smokewood Entertainment and was directed by Sarah Siegel-Magness. Karen McCullah Lutz wrote the screenplay and the family drama stars Virginia Madsen, Amanda Crew, Zach Gilford, Anthony LaPaglia, Eva Longoria and Sam Trammell. Bobbi Sue Luther produced with Gary Magness and Lutz and Phase 4 will release day-and-date in theatres and on demand across all VoD and digital platforms next spring. Phase 4’s Larry Greenberg and Katharyn Howe brokered the deal with Paradigm’s Nick LoPiccolo and Ben Weiss on behalf of the filmmakers.
  • Caveh Zahedi’s The Sheik and I  premiered at SXSW. Factory 25 will releasing the film digitally on Dec 7 via TV VoD, iTunes, Amazon and other digital outlets followed by a DVD release next spring.
  • Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada and INDIECAN Entertainment will partner on the Canadian release of found footage horror film Grave Encounters 2 in 2013.