Several German distributors returned from this year’s American Film Market with signed and sealed deals for new acquisitions.

The Zurich-based Ascot Elite Entertainment Group secured four new titles for German-speaking Europe:

  • all German-speaking and Swiss rights from Panorama for Marjane Satrapi’s psychological thriller The Voices, which is set to star Ryan Reynolds and begin shooting at Studio Babelsberg next February;


  • German theatrical and home entertainment rights from Fusion Films for Stephen Sommers’ fantasy thriller Odd Thomas, based on the novel by bestseller writer Dean Koontz and starring Anton Yelchin, Willem Dafoe and Patton Oswalt;


  • all German-speaking rights from Lightning Entertainment for Matthew Cooke’s documentary How To Make Money Selling Drugs [pictured], featuring interviews with Susan Sarandon, Woody Harrelson, Eminem and 50 Cent;


  • all German-speaking rights from MPI Media for Richard Raaphorst comic horror picture Frankenstein’s Army which is currently in production with Karl Roden and Joshua Sasse.

Munich-based Square One Entertainment picked up Stephen Frears’ drama Philomena, starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, from Pathe International in addition to the previously reported fantasy actioner Wolves and feel-good musical Walking On Sunshine, starring Kylie Minogue and Gemma Arterton.

Koch Media acquired the romantic comedy Wonderful Tonight, with Amanda Seyfried and Patrick Dempsey, David Gordon Green’s Nicolas Cage thriller Joe, and Joe Carnahan’s action comedy Stretch with a cast including Patrick Wilson and David Hasselhoff.

Capelight Pictures secured deals for the Finnish-Canadian musical fantasy Imaginaerum By Nightwish, which had its world premiere in Finland on Nov 10; and Santiago Zannou’s Romeo and Juliet drama Alacrán enomorado, starring Javier Bardem, Judith Diakhate, Álex González and Carlos Bardem, from Wild Bunch.

Berlin-based Senator Entertainment, which currently has Germany’s most successful theatrical release this year with the French comedy-drama Untouchable posting $79.2m (€62.1m) box office, returned from Santa Monica with three new titles acquired together with partner Telepool for release in 2014.

They are Michael Grandage’s biopic Genius, with Colin Firth and Michael Fassbender; P.J. Hogan’s romantic comedy And So It Goes, starring Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton; and Terry Jones’ Absolutely Anything reuniting the Monty Python troupe and also featuring Robin Williams.

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