SPC swoops on North American rights to 'The Wife'

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights to The Wife starring Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce.

Björn Runge’s drama premiered in Toronto earlier this month where Embankment Films handled international sales and centres on Joan, a devoted spouse who has sacrificed her dreams and overlooked her husband Joe’s infidelities as he built his literary career.

As Joe prepares to accept the Nobel Prize for Literature, Joan contemplates a coup de grace that will confront the biggest sacrifice of her life and the secret of Joe’s success.

Christian Slater, Max Irons, Harry Lloyd and Annie Starke round out the key cast. Jane Anderson adapted the screenplay from the Meg Wolitzer novel of the same name.

“The Wife is an emotional powerhouse of an experience featuring career best performances by Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce.” SPC said. “It promises to be a major success in 2018.”

“The Wife is a film about the changing role of women in society in the last 50 years and is a reminder of how far we have come and the significant contributions and achievements we have made in modern day,” producer Claudia Bluemhuber of Silver Reel said. “The filmmaking team is thrilled that Sony Pictures Classics has come on board to share this important film with audiences and we can’t wait for everyone to see it.”

“As a director, it’s been a true privilege to work with these gifted actors to make the script come alive in the absolute best way. Sony Pictures Classics is the perfect partner to distribute The Wife to audiences in North America,” Runge said.

Bluemhuber produced with Rosalie Swedlin for Anonymous Content, Meta Film’s Meta Louise Foldager Sørensen, and Piers Tempest and Jo Bamford for Tempo Productions.

SPC brokered the North American deal with CAA and WME Global.