Universal Pictures Content Group has acquired most of the world from XYZ Films on Sundance entry Dual, which stars Karen Gillan, following its world premiere last month.
The deal comes after RLJE Films previously picked up the sci-fi for US distribution. Additional rights have gone to VVS for Canada, Falcon for the Middle East, World Pictures for CIS/Russia, and PT Falcon for Indonesia.
XYZ financed Dual through its fund backed by Helsinki-based IPR.VC in collaboration with Bondit Media Capital and Head Gear Films. The film also received support from Business Finland and Film Tampere and marked the first Hollywood production to shoot entirely in Finland.
Gillan stars in the Sundance US Dramatic Competition selection as a woman who undergoes a cloning procedure after she receives a terminal diagnosis in order to ease her imminent loss on friends and family. When she makes a sudden and miraculous recovery her attempts to have her clone decommissioned fail and trigger a court-mandated duel to the death.
The cast includes Aaron Paul and Beulah Koale. Riley Stearns directed and produced alongside XYZ Films and Resolute Films and Entertainment, with Film Service Finland providing production services.
XYZ’s recent slate includes the completed Stowaway starring Anna Kendrick and Toni Collette, which was released as a Netflix Original in 2021. Other titles include the upcoming crime thriller God Is A Bullet with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Maika Monroe and Jamie Foxx, and Nocebo with Eva Green and Mark Strong.
The company recently acquired Accused from Bafta-nominated Boiling Point director Phillip Barantini and sci-fi horror Ash directed by Grammy winner Flying Lotus. XYZ has reunited with The Raid director Gareth Evans on the Netflix Original Havoc starring Tom Hardy and Forrest Whitaker.
Dual is the latest Sundance buy from Universal Pictures Content Group, who as Screen first reported recently acquired international rights on crime thriller Emily The Criminal starring Aubrey Plaza.
No comments yet