The next film from director Alexander Payne called “The Holdovers” and starring Paul Giamatti was acquired in a worldwide deal by Focus Features after the film screened in secret at the Toronto International Film Festival, going in the range of $30 million, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The film, which reunites the team from Payne’s “Sideways,” screened on Sunday at TIFF but not as part of a public screening or official selection. All major streamers and studios attended the “Holdovers” screening. The deal is one of the largest of its kind out of Toronto, no less for a film not even playing as part of the festival.