Searchlight UK executive vice president Katie Goodson-Thomas revealed the Disney-owned studio gets outbid on a “daily basis” by streaming platforms for projects, during a spotlight conversation at the BFI London Film Festival today (October 15).
“We can’t be competitive with Netflix, or Apple, or Amazon,” said Goodson-Thomas, in response to an audience question on whether Searchlight gets outbid at development or acquisition stage on projects from the streamers.
Goodson-Thomas noted she would love to work with Emerald Fennell, whose next project will be an adaptation of Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi, produced by LuckyChap and financed by MRC. “We’re not going to be able to be part of that conversation I don’t think. But I think she’s an extraordinary filmmaker, and I want her films to be made.”
Searchlight UK – which works alongside the US branch of Searchlight to develop, finance and distribute projects, with flexible degrees of involvement across projects in its slate – has two films playing at the BFI London Film Festival: Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain, which was acquired for distribution out of Sundance, and Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch starring Amy Adams, which Searchlight boarded in 2022 to fully finance and distribute.
Goodson-Thomas noted there was a momentary post-Covid move towards working on direct-to-streaming projects, with films such as Hold Your Breath and Flamin’ Hot. Rye Lane was released theatrically in the UK-Ireland, with a window of two weeks before landing on streaming platform Disney+, and was direct-to-streaming globally.
But she added theatrical is back as the core business model. “I don’t think that’s [streaming] something we loved in quite the same way. We loved the movies in the same way… theatrical is just a much better fit for us.”
Goodson-Thomas also gave an update on some projects in the works at Searchlight, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Prep is underway for a Bradley Cooper-directed feature titled Is This Thing On? which will shoot in the US, and also stars Cooper alongside Will Arnett, inspired by the life of Liverpudlian comedian John Bishop. Kris Thykier is producing through Archery Pictures alongside Cooper and Arnett.
Jay Roach’s The Roses is in post-production, starring Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch, with plans for a 2025 release.
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