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September 16, 2009
2nd TIFF Buy
Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group picked up the virtual sequel to Kick-Ass, Defendor.
Commercial buy. Smart. Not so surprising. No Oscar buzz. Just movie biz...
In some ways, it's a little sad. SPWAG does give some good movies a home. But they are bought into a kind of orphanhood, destined for DVD, but with their theatrical life determined by someone caring to release them within Sony or then being shipped off to small distributors who "partner" to fulfill the theatrical obligation.
But these days... a lot better than nothing.
(4:55p - Edited for mistake in which division of Sony was buying... the following was the joke that ran... which was not accurate then or now....
The buy fuels speculation about whether SPC, unable to get much attention for An Education, will bump that film for a major Oscar campaign or Woody Harrelson as the mentally defective wannabe superhero. Barker & Bernard were seen during the fest screaming at Carey Mulligan to "be more adorable!" while Woody blew skunky smoke in her face.
Ha ha. )
Posted by dpoland at September 16, 2009 01:21 PM
Comments
Sorry this is only tangentially related to the post, but:
Are they really going to release KICK-ASS as KICK-ASS? Surely there's be controversy over that, no? Someone's going to seize on ASS in a movie title as corrupting the youth of the nation. Or maybe not... I guess Basterds slipped in without much complaint, but that had the misspelling and the quirky Tarantino factor. Is there any talk of retitling it?
Posted by: LexG ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 16, 2009 04:51 PM
Wouldn't surprise me if certain ads and listings refer to it as "Kick-A" or "Kick-A**"
Remember "Fuck: the Movie"? Granted, it only opened in major cities...
Posted by: LYT at September 16, 2009 05:18 PM
Well, the part of the joke that probably IS true is the part about "Incomplete Education." It's fine but so not special. Nothing but actress and only then if it turns out to be a super-weak field.
Posted by: chris at September 16, 2009 05:27 PM
An Education was fantastic, and Carey is pretty much amazing in this film. I can see easily being a popular hit.
Posted by: jbf81 at September 16, 2009 06:29 PM
I can't, but the question is whether it has a shot at Oscars.
Posted by: chris at September 16, 2009 08:27 PM
A million here, something from SPWAG for the foreign territories they bought (Cinetic's work?) & I guess that makes the investors whole. There won't be any backend, so it's all good.
Posted by: T. Holly at September 16, 2009 11:30 PM
As usual, it's hard to argue with T. Holly.
Posted by: yancyskancy at September 17, 2009 01:24 AM
It's a good way for studios to pick up films and be in the indie film biz. Argue with me if you don't think it's a livable situation for everyone to collect a fee and a tiny return -- at least until there's evidence day and date and VOD is doing same for most of its films.
Posted by: T. Holly at September 17, 2009 08:40 AM
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