Following a heated bidding war, Amazon has prevailed and nabbed U.S. rights to The Big Sick for $12 million. The mammoth deal includes a few key territories as well.
Silicon Valley‘s Kumail Nanjiani and Ruby Sparks‘ Zoe Kazan star in the true story of an unlikely courtship.
The film is based on the real-life romance of writer Emily V. Gordon (The Carmichael Show) and Pakistan-born comedian Nanjiani, who wrote the script together. In addition to navigating their cultures’ clashing, the couple also endured a life-changing twist when Emily contracted a mysterious illness.
UTA negotiated the deal, which became the first hot auction on the ground at the Sundance Film Festival. Amazon, Fox Searchlight and Focus battled it out for the zeitgeist comedy before Amazon prevailed early Sunday morning.
FilmNation financed The Big Sick, which made its world premiere Friday night in the Premieres section of the fest.
Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher, Bo Burnham and Aidy Bryant co-star.
Wet Hot American Summer creator and Hello, My Name Is Doris helmer Michael Showalter directed the film, which was produced by early-2000s comedy patriarch Judd Apatow and Barry Mendel, who last teamed for Trainwreck. Glen Basner, Ben Browning, Gordon, Nanjiani and Jeremy Kipp Walker executive produced.
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