Paramount Global label Republic Pictures taken US and Canadian distribution rights to Alex Winter-directed Adulthood.
The parent company revived the Republic label in 2023 with a remit to acquire third-party fare. Paramount Global’s chief content licensing officer Dan Cohen is also president of Republic Pictures.
Cohen shared news of the acquisition in a keynote address at Mipcom today.
Cohen described Adulthood as a Coen Brothers-esque caper gone wrong. It stars Josh Gad, Kaya Scodelario, Anthony Carrigan and Winter himself, who is known for playing Bill in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. “But what he really is is a director. He’s become a really skilled, established director,” said Cohen.
Adulthood centres on brother and sister Nathan and Megan who are forced to return to their suburban hometown, but their lives are completely upended when they discover a dead body, long buried in their parents’ basement. Fear of losing the suburban dream sends the two siblings down a rabbit hole of kills and cover-ups.
CAA Media Finance brokered the deal on behalf of the filmmakers. Rocket Science handles international sales.
Explaining Republic’s remit, Cohen explained: “We’re trying to do interesting sort of indie films to complement the huge tentpole movies that studio has like Mission: Impossible, Gladiator II and Sonic The Hedgehog 3.”
The Republic slate included Tim Fehlbaum‘s festival hit September 5, which Paramount decided to take on shortly after buzzy screenings in Venice and Telluride. It stars Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro, Ben Chaplin and Leonie Benesch.
Earlier this year, Republic also picked up Saoirse Ronan-starrer Bad Apples and international rights to horror rom-com Heart Eyes.
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