Anthony and Joe Russo

Source: Paul Abell

Anthony and Joe Russo

Apple has picked up worldwide rights to Russo brothers’ awards contender Cherry starring Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo in a deal reported to be in the high $40m range.

The film will get an Oscar-qualifying launch in early 2021 on Apple TV+ and is based on Nico Walker’s novel about a former Army medic and Iraq veteran with undiagnosed PTSD who gets addicted to opiods and starts robbing banks.

Cherry marks the first directorial outing from AGBO chairmen Anthony and Joe Russo since their four films for Marvel Studios.

Jessica Goldberg and Angela Russo-Otstot adapted the screenplay.

The cast includes Kelli Burglund, Jack Reynor, Forrest Goodluck, Jeff Wahlberg, Michael Gandolfini, Kyle Harvey, and Thomas Lennon.

The Russos are producing alongside AGBO vice-chairman Mike Larocca, Chris Castaldi, and CEO Jonathan Gray and president Matthew Rhodes for The Hideaway Entertainment.

Executive producers include AGBO’s Todd Makurath, Jake Aust and The Hideaway Entertainment’s Kristy Maurer Grisham and Judd Payne.

CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content represented the filmmakers in the deal.

The Apple Original Films slate includes recent NYFF selection On The Rocks from Sofia Coppola,

The Sky Is Everywhere starring Cherry Jones and Jason Segel, and Sundance US grand jury prize-winning documentary Boys State.

Coming up are Martin Scorsese’s Killers Of The Flower Moon starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, and Emancipation from Antoine Fuqua to star Will Smith.