Bill Lee’s company is understood to be in talks to acquire rights for just over $2m to US rights on Richard Linklater’s dark comedy.

Lee and director of acquisitions Vincent Scordino negotiated with WME Global and Cinetic on behalf of the filmmakers. Hyde Park International holds foreign sales rights. A Canadian deal is understood to be close, which would push up the combined value of North American rights to approximately $3m.

Mark Gill, who arrived in late June as president of the separate but related Millennium Films, may serve as a consultant on marketing, having previously worked with Linklater on a couple of titles.

Ginger Sledge produced the Mandalay Vision and Wind Dancer project, which stars Jack Black as a beloved mortician in a small Texas town who kills the town’s grande dame and tries to convince everyone she’s still alive.

The screenplay was based on Skip Hollandsworth story in Texas Monthly. Linklater adapted the story with Hollandsworth.

The cast includes Shirley MacLaine and Matthew McConaughey. Bernie recently opened the LA Film Festival.

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