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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Mar 13, 2015 8:46:50 GMT -6
robot6.comicbookresources.com/2015/03/new-line-buys-batkid-begins-distribution-and-remake-rights/New Line buys ‘Batkid Begins’ distribution and remake rights New Line has bought the worldwide distribution rights to Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World, the documentary chronicling the events of Nov. 15, 2013, when San Francisco was transformed into Gotham City to fulfill the wish of 5-year-old leukemia patient Miles Scott to be Batman. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the studio also picked up the narrative remake rights for, for a project developed by Julia Roberts, who would produce and star. Directed by Emmy winner Dana Nachman, the crowdfunded documentary had its world premiere in late January at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Although the Make-A-Wish Foundation expected a few hundred people to turn out to cheer on Batkid as he and Batman captured Penguin and the Riddler, the celebration drew an estimated 14,500 in San Francisco alone. The event also captured the attention of people around the world, as more than a billion used social media to encourage Batkid; President Obama even used Vine to deliver a special message to Miles. Batkid Begins includes exclusive interviews with Miles and his family, as well as the team behind the event that grew far beyond their modest expectations.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Mar 13, 2015 16:06:07 GMT -6
variety.com/2015/film/news/new-line-nabs-batkid-documentary-distribution-future-film-rights-exclusive-1201451610/New Line Nabs ‘Batkid’ Documentary Distribution, Future Film Rights New Line Cinema has acquired worldwide distribution rights to “Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World,” as well as the rights to adapt the documentary into a narrative film. The narrative film has Oscar winner Julia Roberts attached to star and produce. She will produce the adaptation with partners Lisa Gillan and Marisa Yeres Gill through their Red Om Films banner. The film will be overseen by Michael Disco and Josh Mack at New Line, with Dana Nachman exec producing along with Josh Braun and Dan Braun through their Sub/Version documentary remake label. Warner Bros. Pictures will distribute the documentary and plans to release it in the coming year. New Line exec VP Carolyn Blackwood said she first saw the documentary when it premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival and was immediately taken by its uplifting message. “It shows that humanity is essentially good and not bad,” said Blackwood. “In this day and age, there’s so much negativity on social media and there’s so much cynicism in the way we communicate, but this was a case of using social media for good. That was what caused this modest wish to become a phenomenon.” The film chronicles the journey taken by the family of a young boy, Miles Scott, who captured the world’s attention when the Make-A-Wish Foundation granted his request to be his favorite superhero for a day. Scott was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 18 months old. As part of the wish fulfillment, San Francisco turned into Gotham City, and more than a billion people, including President Obama, took to social media to cheer on Batkid with the hashtags #SfBatKid and #BatKid. People took off work to hold up signs, and city leaders got involved in the fun by acting out parts of the story. “Batkid Begins” examines how the world’s attention centered on the acts of civic altruism and how the story turned into a viral event. Housing the documentary and the narrative film at New Line and Warner Bros. makes sense because the studio is the home of the Batman movies that inspired Scott, and DC Comics, the publisher of the Batman comics, is a sister company. “Having it be part of the DC universe makes it feel very organic and part of the studio’s history and our DNA,” said Blackwood. Dana Nachman directs the film. Her previous documentary “Witch Hunt,” a look at child molestation accusations in a small town, earned the grand jury prize at the 2009 Washington D.C. International Film Festival. She produced “Batkid Begins” along with Liza Meak. New Line Cinema’s Craig Alexander and Camrin Agin negotiated the deal with CAA and Josh Braun and Dan Braun of Submarine.
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Post by The Ultimate Nullifier on Apr 10, 2015 20:36:05 GMT -6
variety.com/2015/film/news/batkid-begins-documentary-june-26-release-1201467664/‘Batkid’ Documentary Coming to Theaters in June Warner Bros. has set a June 26 theatrical release for documentary “Batkid Begins: The Wish Heard Around the World.” Variety reported last month that the studio had acquired the documentary along with rights to adapt it into a narrative film with Julia Roberts attached to produce and star. The film chronicles the journey taken by the family of a young boy, Miles Scott, who captured the world’s attention when the Make-a-Wish Foundation granted his request to be his favorite superhero for a day. Scott was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia when he was 18 months old. The foundation turned San Francisco into Gotham City, and more than a billion people, including President Obama, took to social media to cheer on Batkid with the hashtags #SfBatKid and #BatKid. Dana Nachman directed and produced “Batkid Begins” along with Liza Meak.
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