ThinkFilm Steals "Candy" from Warner Indie

by | February 7, 2006 | Comments

Comedy fans who’ve been patiently awaiting their chance to see the "Strangers With Candy" movie will be sure to appreciate some news found in today’s Hollywood Reporter. Long story short: The flick no longer belongs to Warner Independent Pictures (whatever that name means), but to the fine folks at ThinkFilm.

"ThinkFilm has acquired all worldwide rights to "Strangers With Candy," the feature based on the Comedy Central cult hit about 46-year-old ex-junkie high school student Jerri Blank. The complex deal amounts to about $2 million plus boxoffice bonuses for the filmmakers, according to a source close to the negotiations.

The company plans to release the film in exclusive engagements in late June or early July. The acquisition marks a successful resolution for the film’s distribution fortunes, which had temporarily been left in a sort of limbo. Warner Independent Pictures picked up the film at last year’s Sundance Film Festival for some $3 million, but then first-time feature producer Worldwide Pants Inc. got it back in the fall after WIP raised questions about clearance issues.

According to a source close to the production, no changes were made to the feature during or after its time at WIP. Warners’ lawyers, the source contended, were overzealous regarding rights clearance issues on posters and other elements in the production. A WIP spokesperson said the company had no comment."

I have a few friends who saw the flick at last year’s Sundance, but I’ve never seen the series on which it was based. Funny stuff?