Bankside closes Julianne Moore, Mickey Rourke drama deals

UK sales outfit Bankside Films has secured international rights to a trio of intriguing market titles including Julianne Moore romance-drama Freeheld and new Mickey Rourke comedy-drama Ashby.

Michael Shannon has newly joined Julianne Moore and Ellen Page in Freeheld, about a gay police-woman’s struggle to ensure that her police pension is passed to her partner after she is diagnosed with a terminal illness.

Bankside has already closed key deals for UK/Eire and Australia/New Zealand with eOne, Benelux with Wild Bunch, Latin America with CDC United Network and Middle East with Front Row Entertainment.

Peter Sollett directs Philadelphia writer Ron Nyswaner’s script, which is due to shoot in New York in September. 

Producers are Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Jack Selby, Duncan Montgomery, James D Stern, Kelly Bush Novak, Cynthia Wade and actress Page. 

Bankside is co-financing alongside Incognito Pictures with Phil Hunt and Compton Ross serving as executive producers. CAA reps US rights.

Also new to Bankside’s growing slate is comedy-drama Ashby set to star Mickey Rourke, Nat Wolff, Emma Roberts and Sarah Silverman. CAA and UTA rep North America.

Writer-director Tony McNamara’s script charts the relationship between a high school student (Wolff) and a retired CIA assassin (Rourke) who only has months to live.

Producers are Kevin McCormick, Rory Koslow, Josh Kesselman, Compton Ross and Phil Hunt.

Principal photography will commence on June 16 in North Carolina for five weeks.

Prospering outfit Bankside will also introduce buyers to writer-director Christopher Smith’s US-set thriller Detour, produced by Julie Baines and Jason Newmark.

Casting is underway on the story of a law student who becomes embroiled in a plot to kill his own step-father, with shoot due in October.

Bankside’s busy slate also includes The Big Shoe, set to star Kristen Stewart, Simon Pegg comedy Hector & The Search for Happiness and X + Y.