BERLIN — The Zac Efron and Marcia Gay Harden thriller Parkland is proving to be a hot ticket with buyers as this year’s European Film Market gears up for business, with sales and finance banner Exclusive Media reporting brisk business internationally.
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has inked a multi-territory distribution deal for the movie, which also stars Jeremy Strong, Billy Bob Thornton, Jacki Weaver and Paul Giamatti, picking up rights for Eastern Europe, Scandinavia, Iceland, Greece, Turkey and Latin America.
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Based on the book Reclaiming History: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy by Vincent Bugliosi, Parkland is written by Peter Landesman, marking his directorial debut.
The script recounts the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963, the day that President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, and is billed as part thriller, part real-time drama.
The film is produced by Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, as well as Exclusive Media and The American Film Co., which will also co-finance with Exclusive.
Bill Paxton is also a producer.
Currently shooting on location in Austin, Texas, the film is set for release in the U.S. this fall, to tie in with the 50th anniversary of the assassination.
The multi-territory deal with Sony was negotiated by Exclusive Media president of international Alex Walton on behalf of Exclusive and Michael Helfand, executive vp business affairs; Joe Matukewicz, senior vp acquisitions; and Jon Freedberg, vp business development; on behalf of SPWA.
The movie also sold to Roadshow for Australia and New Zealand, Metropolitan in France, RAI in Italy, Israel to United King, Hong Kong to Golden Harvest, India and Pakistan to Tanweer, Indonesia to PT Amero, The Philippines to Captive, Singapore to Golden Village, Taiwan to Catchplay, Thailand to M Pictures and The Baltic States to ACME.
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On inking the deals, Walton described the distribution partners as “first class,” adding that the company would work together to map out “a worldwide release strategy to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the assassination of JFK, which takes place this November.”
Exclusive Media is run by a four-member executive board, with Nigel Sinclair as co-chairman and chief executive officer, Guy East as co-chairman, Simon Oakes as vice chairman and president of Hammer and Marc Schipper as COO.
Exclusive Media’s development and production activities operate through three specialist labels: U.K. based Hammer for genre titles, Spitfire Pictures for documentary features and the flagship label Exclusive Media for all other feature film production.
Exclusive Media also has a co-development and co-production deal with Cross Creek Pictures.
