Searchlight Pictures has snapped up worldwide rights to Jesse Eisenberg’s Sundance hit A Real Pain, paying what is believed to be $10m in the first major deal of the festival following Saturday’s world premiere.
‘A Real Pain’: Sundance Review
Theatrical and streamer buyers pursued the comedy drama immediately after the first screening at The Eccles Theatre and it was clear the film possessed broad appeal.
Searchlight pursued it doggedly and an all-night negotiation with WME Independent and CAA Media Finance reminiscent of Sundances of yesteryear concluded around 7am on Sunday.
The studio plans to launch the film this year and will orchestrate a theatrical release before rolling it out on Hulu in the US and partner platforms under Disney streaming operation around the world.
Now the hope is the sale will ignite a market which has taken a while to heat up, although that is par for the course at Sundance in recent years and buyers continue to circle several titles.
Eisenberg and recent Emmy and Golden Globe winner Kieran Culkin (Succession) star in A Real Pain as polar opposite cousins who take an emotionally charged trip to Poland to honour their late grandmother.
The story is personal to Eisenberg, who shot outside his grandmother’s childhood home in Poland. This is his second directorial outing after 2022 Sundance entry When You Finish Saving The World.
The cast includes Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.
Producers are Dave McCary, Ali Herting, Emma Stone for Fruit Tree, Jennifer Semler, and Ewa Puszczynska. Executive producers are Ryan Heller, Jennifer Westin and Michael Bloom of Topic Studios, and Kevin Kelly.
“We are blown away by Jesse’s vision and craft in telling this hilarious and profound film,” said Searchlight presidents Matthew Greenfield and David Greenbaum. “He tells a deeply personal story and makes it universal. We can’t wait to bring it to audiences around the world.”
Eisenberg added, “Making A Real Pain was a true labour of love, and it has been so thrilling to premiere at Sundance. I couldn’t be more honored to work with Searchlight and to bring this story to a wider audience.”
”We could not be more proud of Jesse and this beautiful film, and are absolutely thrilled to re-team with David, Matthew and our friends at Searchlight on its release,” added Heller, EVP of film and documentary at Topic Studios.
The US Dramatic Competition entry screens again on Sunday and throughout the week.
There are still a number of available titles to be seen and buyers are more meticulous than ever amid a challenging distribution market as acquisition teams attend second and third screenings of premieres.
Discussions are understood to be ongoing on XYZ Films’ Skywalkers: A Love Story and Thelma, which CAA Media Finance represents for world sales. Both have been favourites since their premieres on opening day.
No comments yet