By Ray Pride Pride@moviecitynews.com
ANNAPURNA INTERNATIONAL AND SACHA BARON COHEN’S “KLOWN” REMAKE SELLS OUT WORLDWIDE AT AMERICAN FILM MARKET
Los Angeles, CA (November 17, 2016) – Annapurna Pictures and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Four By Two Films’ English-language remake of the hit Danish film KLOWN is the highest performer out of AFM, it was announced today. The title was the only new property on the market to sell-out in all international territories. Annapurna Pictures acquired rights to the project from Four By Two Films in a heated bidding situation. Annapurna International handled the sales rights and negotiated distribution for all territories outside of the U.S.
Megan Ellison will produce the film for Annapurna alongside Baron Cohen and Todd Schulman through Four By Two Films. Scott Stuber will also produce via his Bluegrass Films label. Stephen Feder will oversee production for Annapurna with Nicholas Hatton overseeing for Four By Two Films.
Based on the record breaking Danish film of the same name, KLOWN, will be a semi-improvised, boundary-pushing comedy.
Chris Corabi negotiated the initial deal on behalf of Annapurna. CAA packaged the film and represent the domestic distribution rights to the film.
ABOUT ANNAPURNA PICTURES
Annapurna Pictures, founded by Megan Ellison, focuses on creating sophisticated, high-quality content. Ellison successfully upholds the company’s vision to produce critically and commercially conscious projects which appeal to a diverse audience, allowing filmmakers and artists to create story content of all genres and mediums while preserving their authenticity. Annapurna’s most recent projects include, Mike Mills’ 20TH CENTURY WOMEN, starring Annette Bening, Greta Gerwig, and Billy Crudup, which will be released later this year by A24; Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon’s breakout animated film, SAUSAGE PARTY, written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir and released by Sony Pictures, which had the highest-grossing opening weekend for an R-rated animated film in history; Ana Lily Amirpour’s THE BAD BATCH, which will be released by Screen Media in 2017; Todd Solondz’s WIENER-DOG; and Richard Linklater’s Gotham Award-nominated EVERYBODY WANTS SOME. Annapurna is also currently in post-production on Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal’s UNTITLED DETROIT PROJECT, starring John Boyega and is developing the film adaptation of Maria Semple’s WHERE’D YOU GO, BERNADETTE, to be directed by Richard Linklater. Annapurna’s projects since 2012 have earned thirty-one Academy Award nominations, and Ellison is one of only four honorees ever to receive two Best Picture nominations in the same year. Those projects include Kathryn Bigelow’s ZERO DARK THIRTY, David O. Russell’s JOY, Bennett Miller’s FOXCATCHER, David O. Russell’s AMERICAN HUSTLE, Spike Jonze’s HER, Wong Kar Wai’s THE GRANDMASTER, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s THE MASTER. Additionally, Annapurna is partners with Mark Boal on the company Page One, where they produce season two of the hit podcast SERIAL. Bigelow also directed and partnered with Annapurna on the animated short LAST DAYS, about illegal elephant poaching and the ivory trade.
ABOUT SACHA BARON COHEN
Sacha Baron Cohen is a Golden Globe and two-time BAFTA winning actor who has been nominated for an Academy Award and multiple Emmys. Baron Cohen co-wrote, produced and starred in BORAT: CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA TO MAKE BENEFIT GREAT NATION OF KAZAKHSTAN, which was named the #2 comedy of all time by The Guardian. Baron Cohen has also starred in such films as BRUNO, THE DICTATOR, TALLADEGA NIGHTS, HUGO, SWEENEY TODD, and MADAGASCAR, among others. To date, his films have grossed more than $3.7 billion worldwide.