Paramount Acquires ‘The Intervention’ In $2.5 Million+ WW Rights Deal – Sundance

deadline-hollywood-logo-oEXCLUSIVE: Paramount Pictures has closed a world rights deal in the vicinity of $2.5 million for The Intervention, the dramatic comedy that marks the directorial debut of Clea DuVall. The ensemble stars Melanie Lynskey, Cobie Smulders, Alia Shawkat, DuVall, Natasha Lyonne, Vincent Piazza, Ben Schwartz and Jason Ritter. It premiere in the U.S. Dramatic Competition on Tuesday at the Eccles Theater.

A weekend getaway for four couples takes an unexpected turn for one of them (The Avengers‘ Smulders and Jersey Boys‘ Piazza), when it becomes evident the entire trip was orchestrated to host an intervention on their marriage. DuVall wrote the script and ICM Partners teamed with Gersh on the deal.

Paramount has developed a penchant for swooping in and acquiring big-ticket films for its slates, like Chris Rock’s Top Five and the Denis Villeneueve-directed Story of Your Life. This is a more modest deal for a film with an indie spirit. The deal is closing with Paramount Home Media, whose Amy Reinhard made the deal with the studio’s theatrical acquisitions team. I’m told that the studio will partner with a distributor to fulfill a theatrical release component that is part of the deal that calls for day-and-date VOD release.

The film was financed by Burn Later’s Paul Bernon and Sam Slater, who produced with Sev Ohanian. DuVall exec produced with Mel Eslyn and David Bernon. The deal will close this morning.

For all the concern going in about buyer caution, a healthy amount of deals will close by the time Sundance prizes are handed out this weekend.