STXfilms has picked up the worldwide rights to Queenpins, a coupon scam comedy that reunites the studio with Kristen Bell.
Queenpins will be released in the U.S., UK, and Ireland by STX, and the studio, which has had success with female-driven movie fare like Hustlers and Bad Moms, will handle international distribution through its network of global partners. The comedy portrays a suburban housewife, fed up with being dismissed and overlooked by her husband and society, deciding to take back control of her life by starting an illegal coupon club.
Her creation ends up scamming millions of dollars from big food companies, while delivering deals to millions of fellow coupon clippers. News of the distribution deal for Queenpins with STXfilms comes as the Toronto Film Festival’s virtual market gets underway on Tuesday.
The long-gestating project, written and directed by Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, is inspired by a true-life coupon counterfeit scam. Bell will reteam with her The Good Place and Veronica Mars co-star Kirby Howell-Baptiste, as well as Vince Vaughn and Paul Walter Hauser.
“We love everything about this comedy, especially reuniting with our friend Kristen Bell, who is paired perfectly with Kirby Howell-Baptiste – we know they’ve got great chemistry, and Kirby has shown she is a master of this kind of comedy in Why Women Kill,” Adam Fogelson, chairman of the STXfilms motion picture group, said in a statement.
AGC Studios, Marquee Entertainment and Red Hour Films are producing, with Linda McDonough and Nicky Weinstock sharing the producer credits. Stuart Ford, Miguel A. Palos, Jr., Ben Stiller and Breean Solberg will executive produce.
The project was developed by McDonough under her Marquee Entertainment banner before joining AGC earlier this year.
