Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions have picked up all US rights to Jennifer Westfeldt’s Toronto world premiere Friends With Kids, while fierce interest continued to swirl around Hysteria. Music Box meanwhile concluded its deal with Protagonist for US rights on The Deep Blue Sea.
The deal on Friends With Kids, starring an ensemble that includes Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Maya Rudolph, Ed Burns and Westfeldt, finished after Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions agreed terms with domestic sales agent Cinetic. The film will open in the US in 2012.
Tanya Wexler’s Hysteria, the Victorian-Era rom-com about the invention of the vibrator that stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, Felicity Jones and Hugh Dancy, is gathering momentum following its world premiere in Toronto last Thursday. Four buyers including Sony Pictures Classics are understood to be in the hunt. Cassian Elwes represents domestic rights.
Turning to another Toronto premiere, Adam Wingard’s Midnight Madness hit You’re Next remains in play with Lionsgate in pursuit. A deal is understood to be close on Derek Cianfrance and Ryan Gosling’s reunion project The Place Beyond The Pines, which WME was shopping at the festival and is currently shooting in New York with Gosling and Bradley Cooper.
Music Box announced on Monday morning (19) it had acquired US rights to Terence Davies’ The Deep Blue Sea from Protagonist Pictures. Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston and Simon Russell Beale star in the post-war romance, adapted from Terence Rattigan’s famous play of the same name.
Music Box’s Ed Arentz and Protagonist’s Ben Roberts concluded the deal prior to the film’s final public screening in Toronto. The parties were unable to clarify whether Arentz will throw the film into the upcoming awards season race or hold back a release until 2012.
The Deep Blue Sea will screen in competition at San Sebastian before closing the BFI London Film Festival prior to its UK release on Nov 25 through Artificial Eye.
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