By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com

OPEN ROAD FILMS WILL BRING ROBERT RODRIGUEZ’S “MACHETE KILLS” TO THEATERS IN 2013

BIGGER AND EVEN MORE BADASSS THAN THE FIRST FILM, “MACHETE KILLS” STARS DANNY TREJO, MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ, SOFIA VERGARA, AMBER HEARD, CHARLIE SHEEN, LADY GAGA, ANTONIO BANDERAS, JESSICA ALBA, DEMIAN BICHIR, ALEXA VEGA, VANESSA HUDGENS, CUBA GOODING, JR., WILLIAM SADLER, MARKO ZAROR AND MEL GIBSON

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 19, 2012 – Open Road Films has acquired all U.S. distribution rights to MACHETE KILLS, directed by Robert Rodriguez (Machete, Sin City, Spy Kids franchise) and starring Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Sofia Vergara, Amber Heard, Charlie Sheen, Lady Gaga, Antonio Banderas, Jessica Alba, Demian Bichir, Alexa Vega, Vanessa Hudgens, Cuba Gooding, Jr., William Sadler, Marko Zaror and Mel Gibson.  The announcement was made today by Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road Films.

Directed by Robert Rodriguez from a screenplay by Kyle Ward and based on a story by Marcel Rodriguez and Robert Rodríguez, MACHETE KILLS is the sequel to the 2010 hit film MACHETE – which has built a devoted legion of fans since its release – and is the second film in a trilogy.  The film is produced by Robert Rodriguez, along with Aaron Kaufman and Iliana Nikolic through their QuickDraw Productions banner, as well as Sergei Bespalov of Aldamisa Films, Alexander Rodnyansky of AR Films, and Rick Schwartz of Overnight Films.  The film is expected to have a wide release in 2013.

In MACHETE KILLS, Danny Trejo returns as ex-Federale agent MACHETE, who is recruited by the President of the United States for a mission which would be impossible for any mortal man – he must take down a madman revolutionary and an eccentric billionaire arms dealer who has hatched a plan to spread war and anarchy across the planet.

“Robert Rodriguez never ceases to wow audiences with his innovative and eye-popping filmmaking.  We are thrilled to bring the Machete franchise into the Open Road family and can’t wait to get to work with this incredible cast and the filmmaking team,” stated Ortenberg.

“Open Road is the perfect home for MACHETE KILLS,” stated Robert Rodriguez. “Since their inception they have been trailblazers who have turned the theatrical distribution model on its head. I am confident that they will build upon the significant fan fervor that has made Machete such a success.”

“One of the companies within my AR Films conglomerate distributed Robert’s hit MACHETE in Central and Eastern Europe, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to produce MACHETE KILLS and continue that relationship,” stated Rodnyansky. “It’s an exciting project for all of us, and we’re very happy that it’s in such good hands with Tom Ortenberg and Open Road.”

The deal was negotiated on behalf of Open Road Films by Ortenberg, General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Operations and Business Affairs Elliott Kleinberg, and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions  Ben Cotner.  Jere Hausfater and Mark Manuel negotiated on behalf of Aldamisa, along with Graham Taylor and WME Global, who repped the film.

ABOUT OPEN ROAD FILMS

Founded in 2011 by AMC Entertainment Inc. (AMC) and Regal Entertainment Group (Regal), the two largest theatrical exhibition and entertainment companies in the United States, Open Road Films is a dynamic, acquisition-based domestic theatrical distribution company.  Most recently, Open Road Films released End Of Watch, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña, written and directed by David Ayer, which opened to number one at the box office and has taken in nearly $40 million to date.  Open Road Films’ first releases were Killer Elite, the action-thriller starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro and The Grey, the action thriller starring Liam Neeson and directed by Joe Carnahan, which opened to number one at the box office in January 2012 and has taken in over $50 million to date.  Upcoming releases include:  Silent Hill: Revelation 3D based on the ground-breaking video game franchise to be released October 26, 2012; A Haunted House, a comedy starring Marlon Wayans and Cedric The Entertainer, opening January 11, 2013; Side Effects, a thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh starring Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum, Jude Law and Catherine Zeta-Jones to be released February 8, 2013; The Host, based on Twilight series author Stephenie Meyer’s best-selling book, starring Saoirse Ronan, Max Irons, Jake Abel, Diane Kruger and William Hurt, and directed by Andrew Niccol, scheduled for release on March 29, 2013.   More info on Open Road Films at: www.openroadfilms.comwww.facebook.com/OpenRoadFilms and @OpenRoadFilms.

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It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?

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So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.

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