YouTube and Roadside Attractions will partner up to theatrically release “Viper Club” starring Susan Sarandon, Matt Bomer, Edie Falco and Lola Kirke.
“Viper Club” will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and will be released in theaters on Oct. 26, as well as being available on YouTube Premium next year.
The theatrical partnership is a left turn — and a traditional one — for the service, as only a year ago they were prepared to disrupt the release window with a splashy $3.5 million Sundance acquisition, TheWrap previously reported.
YouTube Red bought Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me 2: Holy Chicken,” with the intent to stream the film exclusively on their service for 6 months, then split profits down the middle with Spurlock for SVOD and international deals. Plans were scrapped after Spurlock posted a complicated account of a sexual experience where his partner said she did not consent, as well as admitting he’d paid a settlement to an employee accusing him of sexual harassment.
“Viper Club” was co-written by Maryam Keshavarz and Jonathan Mastro and directed by Keshavarz, and follows veteran ER nurse Helen (Sarandon) who secretly struggles to free her son from a terrorist group. She then discovers a group of journalists and philanthropists to help her.
“Viper Club” is Keshavarz’s second feature film following “Circumstance,” which won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival in 2011. “Viper Club” was produced by Anna Gerb, Neal Dodson, and J.C. Chandor.
“Susan Sarandon’s emotional, tour de force performance anchors ‘Viper Club,’” said Roadside’s Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff. “She brings incredible humanity to a woman who, after being slow-walked by the government, takes matters into her own hands in a clandestine effort to free her captive son. It’s a compelling, timely story brilliantly captured and told by Maryam, and we are excited to be partnering with YouTube to bring the film to theaters this fall.”
Added Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content, YouTube: “Susan Sarandon immediately drew us into this emotional drama, and Maryam Keshavarz lends her unique perspective as an Iranian-American filmmaker. The extremely talented cast delivered powerful performances and we are thrilled to debut this film at the Toronto International Film Festival and partner with Roadside to bring the film to theaters this fall.”
Howard Cohen negotiated the deal to acquire the film for Roadside.