Miramax Films Acquires Pierce Brosnan Starrer THE MATADOR From Stratus Film Company

Miramax Films Acquires Pierce Brosnan Starrer THE MATADOR From Stratus Film Company

PARK CITY, Utah, Jan. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Miramax Films has acquired the English speaking distribution rights as well as a few additional territories in the European and Southeast Asian markets from Stratus Film Company to THE MATADOR, the film starring Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear, which made its worldwide debut at the Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim. The film, which is directed and written by Richard Shepard, is produced by Irish DreamTime partners Brosnan and Beau St. Clair along with Furst Films' Sean Furst and Bryan Furst. THE MATADOR, which co-stars Hope Davis, Philip Baker Hall, Adam Scott, and Dylan Baker, is executive produced by partners Bob Yari and Mark Gordon, of Stratus Film Company, Andrew Reimer, of DEJ Productions INC., and Adam Merims. The announcement was made today by Miramax executive vice president of acquisitions and co-production Agnes Mentre.

THE MATADOR is a comedic adventure about a traveling salesman, Danny Wright (Kinnear), who accidentally meets up with Julian (Brosnan), "a facilitator of fatalities," at a Mexico City bar, where their subsequent evening together intertwines their lives in an unexpected, but lasting, bond. Each one is facing what could be a life-changing moment, and though they ostensibly have nothing in common, they're drawn together.

Agnes Mentre said, "We're particularly excited about distributing Richard Shepard's THE MATADOR -- an incredibly original movie from an innovative filmmaker. We're pleased to be in business with the producers who have brought hit projects like The Thomas Crown Affair and The Cooler to film fans over the years and to continue our relationship with Stratus after our successful collaboration on Hostage."

Richard Shepard stated, "This is a dream come true for a filmmaker. I am continuing to pinch myself that this acquisition has happened so quickly. On behalf of myself, the producers, and the executive producers, we are equally thrilled to have our film acquired by Miramax, who we believe are the best in the business of distributing independent films."

Mentre and Barry Littman, senior vice president of business and legal affairs, negotiated on behalf of Miramax. CAA's Rick Hess, Kevin Iwashina and John Ptak represented the film as well as the interest of Irish DreamTime in the deal, in association with counsel Tom Hansen. Randy Paul represented Furst Films. Neil Sacker, chief operating officer and counsel, and Bill Immerman, chief administrative officer and counsel, negotiated on behalf of Stratus. DEJ president Andrew Reimer and Blockbuster senior corporate counselor Mitzi Brown negotiated the deal for DEJ Productions. Shepard is represented by David Gersh and Abram Nalibotsky, of the Gersh Agency.

ABOUT MIRAMAX

Miramax Films, founded by Bob and Harvey Weinstein in 1979, has released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films, including fifteen Best Picture nominations over a span of the past thirteen years: The Aviator, Finding Neverland, Chicago, Gangs of New York, In the Bedroom, Chocolat, The Cider House Rules, Shakespeare In Love, Life Is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella), Good Will Hunting, The English Patient, Il Postino (The Postman), Pulp Fiction, The Piano and The Crying Game, as well as a Best Picture nomination for The Hours, which was a co-production. The outstanding quality of Miramax's films is represented in the company's success in the annual Academy Awards race. In its history, Miramax has received 249 Academy Award nominations and has won 54 Academy Awards.

Recent Miramax releases include the Academy Award nominee for Best Picture and Golden Globe winner for Best Picture (Drama) and Best Actor The Aviator, the Academy Award nominee for Best Picture and Golden Globe nominee for Best Picture Finding Neverland, and the Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Film and Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Film The Chorus (Les Choristes).

ABOUT FURST FILMS

Furst Films is the independent film production company headed by partners Sean and Bryan Furst. Furst Films recently produced the upcoming release THE WOODS starring Patricia Clarkson, Agnes Bruckner, and Bruce Campbell for United Artists, and writer/director Richard Shepard's THE MATADOR starring Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, and Hope Davis. They are currently prepping FIRST SNOW starring Guy Pearce for El Camino Pictures for a February 2005 shoot. Also in the pipeline for Furst is the Spierig brothers' horror project DAYBREAKERS for Lions Gate. Other Furst Films credits include Wayne Kramer's THE COOLER starring William H. Macy, Maria Bello, and Alec Baldwin; OWNING MAHOWNY, directed by Richard Kwietniowski and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver and John Hurt; and EVERYTHING PUT TOGETHER which was the directorial debut of filmmaker Marc Forster (FINDING NEVERLAND, MONSTER'S BALL).

ABOUT IRISH DREAMTIME

Irish DreamTime was formed in 1996 by Pierce Brosnan and his Producing Partner Beau St. Clair. Since its inception, Irish DreamTime has straddled the independent and studio worlds with such diverse films as the critically acclaimed reworking of the romantic thriller THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR, directed by John McTiernan and starring Brosnan opposite Rene Russo and Denis Leary; the heartwarming family drama EVELYN, directed by Academy Award Nominated Director Bruce Beresford and starring Brosnan with Aidan Quinn, Julianna Margulies and Alan Bates; and the romantic comedy LAWS OF ATTRACTION, released by New Line, directed by Peter Howitt and starring Brosnan opposite Julianne Moore.

ABOUT STRATUS FILM COMPANY

Stratus Film Company is an equal partnership between producers Bob Yari and Mark Gordon. Stratus holds a first-look co-financing deal with Universal Pictures and finances films in the $5-50 million range. In March, Miramax will release Stratus' first film, Hostage, a crime thriller starring Bruce Willis and Kevin Pollak. Its other forthcoming projects include PRIME, starring Sandra Bullock to be released by Universal, and Winter Passing, with Ed Harris, Zooey Deschanel, Will Farrell and Amelia Warner.

ABOUT DEJ PRODUCTIONS INC.

DEJ Productions Inc. is a leading independent entertainment company that acquires and distributes product in the theatrical, home entertainment and television arenas. DEJ Productions is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blockbuster Inc. Since its inception in 1999, DEJ Productions has commanded one of the largest acquisitions and distribution infrastructures in independent film, with an average of 75 films a year. Among them, DEJ Productions acquired all English-speaking rights, including those in North America, to the 2003 ACADEMY AWARD(R) winning film Monster, starring Charlize Theron. DEJ also co-financed and produced CRASH with Stratus Films, written and directed by Paul Haggis, which will be released by Lions Gate Films later this year. DEJ Productions Inc. is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.


Source: Miramax Films

CONTACT: Sarah Levinson, +1-212-941-3875, or Matthew Hiltzik,
+1-212-941-3883, both of Miramax Films; Film Contact - Lynda Dorf and Chris
Libby of BWR Public Relations, +1-310-248-6105, for Miramax Films

Web site: http://www.miramax.com/


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