Berlin 2012: FilmNation sells Robert Redford starrer ‘All Is Lost’ to Universal (Exclusive)

BERLIN — Marking another major Hollywood studio deal here, Universal has struck a multi-territory pact for Robert Redford’s next film, All Is Lost, directed by Margin Call’s J.C. Chandor.

Glen Basner’s FilmNation, which is shopping the newly announced project at the European Film Market, has virtually sold out world rights in less than four days, reflecting Redford’s continuing star status and the following Chandor enjoys in the wake of Margin Call, his directorial debut.

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Lionsgate had bought up domestic rights to the film prior to EFM, but Universal made sure to secure the film for a number of key territories — including the U.K., France, Italy, Spain, Hong Kong, South Korea and Australia — once the market got under way. All told, the deal includes 19 territories. FilmNation has also sold All Is Lost to HGC in China, Square One in Germany, Sun Distribution in Latin America and Pony Canyon in Japan.

The deals for All Is Lost, an at-sea adventure, are worth many millions, underscoring the strength of this year’s EFM for top companies like FilmNation. Basner’s shop also is expected to close a raft of deals for Philip Seymour Hoffman starrer A Most Wanted Man, directed by Anton Corbijn and based on John le Carre’s 2008 thriller, and for Steven Soderbergh’s Bitter Pill, starring Rooney Mara, Jude Law, Channing Tatum and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

The other major studio deal at EFM is for Foresight Unlimited’s Two Guns, the action-comedy that will pair Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions is picking up rights to most of the world, while eOne Entertainment snapped up U.K. and Canadian rights. Universal has domestic rights.

Basner’s FilmNation has enjoyed impressive box-office success during the past 18 months with titles including The King’s Speech and Sanctum. And earlier in the market, Basner screened director John Hillcoat’s hotly anticipated Wettest County, starring Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Jessica Chastain and Mia Wasikowska for distributors who prebought the movie last year.

All Is Lost is likewise a hot property and tells the exhilarating journey of one man’s fight to survive. The film is set entirely at sea, and Redford — last seen in theaters in 2007’s Lions for Lambs — is the only cast member. Universal also has bought rights to Eastern Europe, Benelux, Iceland, Portugal, Scandinavia, Switzerland, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and South Africa. Italia has taken rights in India and Pakistan, Greece and Cyprus, Turkey and the Middle East. Chandor is set to begin shooting this summer at Baja Studios in Rosarita Beach, Mexico. Baja was built by Fox for Titanic.

Redford met Chandor at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011, where the director’s Margin Call had its world premiere. Chandor is up for a best original screenplay Oscar for the film.

Neal Dodson is producing All Is Lost via his Before the Door Pictures banner, alongside Black Bear Pictures’ Teddy Schwarzman and Treehouse Pictures’ Justin Nappi. They are fully financing the project. Also producing are Anna Gerb and Jason Blum.

Before the Door’s Zachary Quinto and Corey Moosa will executive produce with Cassian Elwes, Laura Rister and Kevin Turen.