Neon is closing a deal for rights to “Wild Rose,” a dramedy about a would-be country singer in Scotland that had an enthusiastic reception after it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday.
Other studios were said to be circling the project. The deal is not yet signed, but the price is believed to be close to $4 million, similar to what Neon paid for “I, Tonya” when it bought the eventual Oscar-winner at Toronto last year. There’s some awards buzz surrounding “Wild Rose,” particularly around the performance of its star, the relatively unknown Jessie Buckley, who is said to have some serious singing chops.
“Wild Rose” was directed by Tom Harper (“War Book”) and co-stars Sophie Okonedo and Julie Walters. The film follows Rose-Lynn, a convicted criminal and single mother, whose ambitions to become a singer are complicated by the ankle monitor she has to wear and the strict curfew she must keep.
In just over a year, Neon has carved out a niche for itself as a more iconoclastic type of indie studio. Its releases include “Colossal,” “Beach Rats,” and “Ingrid Goes West.” The studio had an arthouse breakout with “Three Identical Strangers,” a documentary about triplets separated at birth that went on to gross $11.3 million.
UTA and CAA represented the filmmakers in the sale.
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