The dramedy directed by Jim Rash and Nax Faxon reportedly is sold to Fox Searchlight for a reported $9.75 million, the biggest in Sundance history.
- Jan 23, 2013
AceShowbiz - "The Way, Way Back" set the bar high at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The dramedy starring Steve Carell has reportedly scored what seemed to be the biggest deal in the history of the Utah film festival. Acquired by Fox Searchlight, the movie was sold for a reported $9.75 million.
After it was screened at Eccles on Monday, January 21, the Nax Faxon and Jim Rash-directed pic sparked the most heated bidding war at Sundance, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Fox Searchlight finally won the North American rights of the movie, while the international rights were represented by Sierra/Affinity.
Filmed in Massachusetts, "The Way, Way Back" centers on a 15-year-old boy's fateful summer when his family rents a beach house. It follows the adventures of the teenage boy who finds the courage to stand up to his aggressive stepfather. The youngster also forms an unlikely friendship with the owner of a water park, and is able to finally reconnect with his mother.
The film is also supported by Maya Rudolph, AnnaSophia Robb and Amanda Peet.
Just before "The Way, Way Back" found its distributor on Tuesday morning, another high-profile deal took place as Relativity Media acquired the U.S. rights to Joseph Gordon-Levitt's directorial debut "Don Jon's Addiction" for a reported $4 million. It marked one of the biggest deals at Sundance.
Also stealing attention was The Weinstein Co. which bought Octavia Spencer-starring "Fruitvale" about the Oscar Grant tragedy in 2009. The film was picked up by TWC for a reported $2.5 million. On the same day, the company also snatched "Concussion", a directorial debut by Stacie Passion, for a seven-figure deal.
