The first deal of Sundance is Antoine Fuqua’s “Brooklyn’s Finest”, an all-star ensemble cast including Don Cheadle, Richard Gere, Ethan Hawke, and Wesley Snipes. The Black Box Office has been tracking this film since Sundance began, and we’re happy to report that it was a hit with buyers, but none more than Mark Urman, President of Senator Distribution, who says “we went into aggressive pursuit right after Friday’s screening”, and made the $5 million seal for the distribution rights. They’ve made an eight-figure P&A commitment. They will release the film in the fourth quarter for awards consideration.
“Being from Brooklyn, this film is important to me” Urman said of the picture, which marks the screenwriting debut of Michael C. Martin.
The film opened to mixed reviews, which leads Senator to describe the film as “a work in progress”. But Fuqua’s record with crime dramas and the Oscars is too good to pass up. Ethan Hawke was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in “Training Day”, another Fuqua directed crime drama. Mark Urman said talks continued the next day with Fuqua, focusing on delivery issues. The music is still temporary and there are discussions about reworking the ending. Urman continued, “It strikes me that the ending will be different.”
Brooklyns Finest poster
Comments: