ACF 365: Magnolia Pictures acquires right to Cheryl Hines' SERIOUS MOONLIGHT

Meg Ryan & Timothy Hutton in SERIOUS MOONLIGHT

I receive a fair amount of email announcements for films that are not in any way Asian or Asian-related. Many I just send direct to the trash, but this one really caught my interest. SERIOUS MOONLIGHT was written by the late Adrienne Shelly (I really enjoyed WAITRESS) and sports one helluva terrific cast. Because I'm so excited about it, I'm passing on this info from Magnolia Pictures, which will be distributing the film in North America:

The Wagner/Cuban Companies' Magnolia Pictures recently announced that it has acquired North American rights to Cheryl Hines’ directorial debut, SERIOUS MOONLIGHT. Warmly received at Tribeca this year, SERIOUS MOONLIGHT stars Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton, Kristen Bell and Justin Long, and is especially notable for being written by sadly missed writer/director Adrienne Shelly (Waitress).

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT is about a troubled marriage on the precipice, centering on a high-powered female attorney who learns that her husband is about to leave her for a much younger woman, and holds him captive until he promises to stay with her and love her forever. The film is a labor of love for Hines, one of the stars of Shelly’s Waitress.

SERIOUS MOONLIGHT will be released through Magnolia’s Ultra VOD program, launching the film this November on VOD platforms in 50-million households one month prior to its theatrical release in early December.

The film is produced by Andy Ostroy, Ms. Shelly’s husband, and Michael Roiff, who produced Waitress, through their respective companies: all for A films and Night & Day Pictures.

“Cheryl Hines has done a fine job bringing Adrienne Shelly’s final script to life,” said Magnolia President Eamonn Bowles. “SERIOUS MOONLIGHT is a fitting tribute to a sorely missed talent and we’re happy to be bringing it to North American audiences.”

"We're very impressed with Magnolia's distribution model, their savvy team, and their overall vision for SERIOUS MOONLIGHT," said Ostroy. "I know Adrienne would be proud of this film and thrilled to have another movie of hers in theatres for audiences to see."

"I'm excited about where Magnolia's going to take us," said Hines. "SERIOUS MOONLIGHT is a dark, funny film, which I think audiences are going to really enjoy, especially Meg and Tim's incredible performances."

The deal was negotiated by Magnolia’s Senior Vice President Tom Quinn and Head of Business Affairs Chris Matson, with Andrew Herwitz of the Film Sales Company and attorney John Logigian.