With most of the high profile films premiered and screened for press, the latter half of the Toronto Film Festival seems to be all about deal-making, with a handful of projects securing North American distribution. Here’s a roundup of what’s been happening in the backrooms and boardrooms.
Though we didn’t much care for Robert Redford’s musty dusty historical epic/political screed “The Conspirator,” the film has been picked up by Roadside Attractions. ‘Conspirator’ will not factor into the Oscar season race this year (and with good reason) but will instead hit theaters next spring with Roadside partnering with Lionsgate to get it into theaters. The film is another notable project for the indie outlet who are quickly becoming prestige players in the market. Starring James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, Evan Rachel Wood, Danny Huston, Colm Meaney and Justin Long the film chronicles the untold story behind the assassination of Abraham Lincoln while making painful parallels to the current political climate.
James Wan, who we have to thank for giving birth to the never-ending “Saw” franchise, is closing a deal with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group for the North American rights to his latest, “Insidious.” Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey and Lin Shaye the film is a haunted house thriller about a married couple whose child begins “to experience things science can’t explain.” Might as well pencil in (what we presume will be) a Halloween 2011 release date now.
IFC moves in an interesting direction picking up James Gunn’s superhero satire “Super.” The film stars Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Kevin Bacon, Liv Tyler, Nathan Fillion and Linda Cardellini and follows the story of an average guy (Wilson) who transforms into pseudo-superhero The Crimson Bolt after his wife Sarah (Tyler) leaves him for a smooth-talking drug dealer Jacques (Bacon). Joined by sociopathic teen-turned-sidekick Libby (Page) the two begin to wage war on crime and plot to bring down Jacques. No release date yet but it most likely will arrive in 2011.
The Weinstein Company continue their buying splurge adding the foul-mouthed indie comedy “Dirty Girl” and UK coming of age story “Submarine” to their purchases which includes last week’s acquisition of “Sarah’s Key.” “Dirty Girl”stars Juno Temple, Dwight Yoakam, Milla Jovovich, and Willam H. Macy in a story about “a young lady (Temple) who is considered the dirty girl of Norman High School. After she gets banished to a remedial class, she teams up with an innocent and they head out on a road trip of self discovery.” As for “Submarine,” it’s an adaptation of the novel by Joe Dunthorne and follows “a 15-year old boy through the impending breakup of his parents’ marriage and his own first relationship.” Both films will hit theaters next year.
Finally, Sony Pictures Classics has picked up Canadian Denis Villeneuve’s “Incendies,” the story of twins who journey to the Middle East following the death of their mother. The film opens in Quebec next week but will most likely be slotted for a 2011 release in the United States.
