Berlin 2013: Ron Howard Screens Nearly-Completed Formula One Film 'Rush'

BERLIN -- Director Ron Howard was in Berlin on Sunday to screen a near-finished cut of his Formula One movie Rush for foreign distributors who have invested in the movie.

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Howard shot most of the film in Germany and has been traveling to Berlin for post-production work. Universal is distributing Rush in the U.S., where it opens in theaters Sept. 20. Exclusive Media and Cross Creek Pictures are co-financing and producing the film in association with Imagine Entertainment, Working Title Films and Revolution.

“We have a special relationship with Berlin and are very happy to share this special film with you,” Howard said during the presentation, which was organized by Exclusive and Cross Creek.

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Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Bruhl star in Rush, which chronicles the historic 1970s rivalry between charismatic Englishman James Hunt (Hemsworth) and the disciplined Austrian Niki Lauda (Bruhl).

“This movie will be a big hit. Interestingly, women really enjoyed it too,” said one prominent producer who was invited to the screening.

Exclusive had another treat in store for foreign buyers over the weekend: Charlize Theron came to Berlin to plug pre-sales for Dark Places, the big-screen adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s best-selling novel of the same name.

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The actress signed a deal to star in and produce the movie on the eve of Berlin, just as Exclusive Media announced it would finance and produce the film with Theron’s production company Denver and Delilah Productions, Hugo Productions and Mandalay Vision.

Gilles Paquet-Brenner (Sarah’s Key) is directing Dark Places, about a grown woman who must re-investigate whether her brother was really responsible for the death of their mother and sisters years earlier. Alex Walton, president of Exclusive International, is selling the project at EFM.

Rival buyers say they love the script, but question whether foreign buyers will embrace the story’s darker themes. Theron’s involvement, however, is a big plus.