Foresight boards Pierre Pierre, closes deals

Larry Charles-Jim Carrey comedy Pierre Pierre has been given a new lease of life by Mark Damon’s Foresight Unlimited, Mandalay Vision and Lago Films, with Foresight boarding international sales pre-market and already closing deals in Russia (West), Benelux (DFW), Scandinavia (Mis. Label), Eastern Europe (Revolutionary Releasing), Hong Kong (Deltamac), Middle East (Shooting Stars), Thailand (M Pictures), Latin America (Imagem and Gussi), Portugal (Lusomundo), Israel (United Kingdom) and Iceland (Myndform).

UK and other deal-makers are swarming.

Berlin-based producer Marco Mehlitz of Lago Film (A Dangerous Method) recently came on board and closed a deal for German rights with Warner Bros.

The pan-European shoot is set for summer 2012, with most of the production taking place in Germany.

Pierre Pierre centres on a self-indulgent French nihilist (Carrey) who steals the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in the hope of selling it so he can finally move out of his parents house.

Producers are Jason Blumenthal and Todd Black of Escape Artists, Matthew Rhodes and Cathy Schulman of Mandalay Vision and Mehlitz of Lago. Rhodes is in town touting the comedy. Steve Tisch and David Bloomfield of Escape Artists and Damon are executive producers.

The oft-reincarnated comedy from writers Edwin Cannistraci and Frederick Seton was once budgeted at $20m, but now stands at $30m due to the strong supporting cast who are now in talks. “The supporting characters are real-sink-your-teeth-into roles for both European and US actors,” Rhodes told Screen. Mandalay was brought the film by Escape Artists last summer.

Fox, who initially acquired the spec script for $1 million but moved off soon after director Jason Reitman dropped out, are still said to be “excited” by the project and could come on board US rights later down the line.

Foresight also handles market buzzers 2 Guns and Rule #1.