Sundance: Hulu and Neon Nab Andy Samberg Comedy ‘Palm Springs’ for Record-Breaking Sum

Neon and Hulu have landed worldwide rights to the Andy Samberg-fronted comedy Palm Springs.

UTA Independent Film Group brokered the $17,500,000.69 deal, the companies announced Monday. That figure breaks a record for the biggest sale ever at the Sundance Film Festival by 69 cents: The mark was previously held by 2016’s The Birth of a Nation, which was bought for $17.5 million.

“We spent over 85 million dollars of our own money on this movie, we are taking a bath on this deal. We hope Neon and Hulu are happy but we definitely have a lot of explaining to do to our families,” producers Party Over Here (comprised of Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone and Becky Sloviter) said in a statement.

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In the movie, Saturday Night Live alum Samberg plays wedding guest Nyles, who befriends reluctant maid of honor Sarah (Cristin Milioti). After their impromptu tryst is thwarted by a surreal, unexpected interruption, Sarah joins the nihilistic Nyles in embracing the idea that nothing really matters and they begin wreaking spirited havoc on the wedding celebration.

The U.S. Competition title was directed by Max Barbakow from a script by Andy Siara (Lodge 49). J.K. Simmons, Meredith Hagner, Camila Mendes and Peter Gallagher also star.

Samberg produced the film with his Lonely Island cohorts Schaffer and Taccone. Sloviter also produced, along with Dylan Sellers and Chris Parker via their Limelight Entertainment banner, which also financed. Alex Dong and Gabriela Revilla Lugo executive produced.

In 2017, Hulu inked an output deal with Neon, where titles from the indie distributor would become available to stream exclusively on the service following a theatrical release. Last year, the two companies teamed up to acquire the Sundance title Little Monsters, starring Lupita Nyong’o and Josh Gad.

Palm Springs is the latest in a string of Sundance deals to be brokered as the first weekend of the fest came to a close. Other pickups include the Cold War drama Ironbark landing at Lionsgate, Searchlight Pictures grabbing the thriller The Night House and Amazon nabbing the Irish drama Herself and Alan Ball’s Uncle Frank. 

Jan. 27, 9:48 p.m. Updated with Neon and Hulu’s announcement of the purchase.