Focus Features Acquires Worldwide Rights to Sundance Hit KAJILLIONAIRE

Focus Features has acquired the worldwide rights to Miranda July's Kajillionaire, which premiered to rave reviews at the Sundance Film Festival. Written and directed by July, who won multiple awards at the Cannes Film Festival for Me and You and Everyone We Know including the Critics Week Grand Prize, the Prix Regards Jeune and the Camera d'Or, Kajillionaire stars Golden Globe® nominated Evan Rachel Wood (Westworld), Golden Globe® winner Gina Rodriguez (Jane the Virgin), Academy Award® nominated Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), and Academy Award® nominated Debra Winger (The Lovers, Terms of Endearment). Producers are Plan B Entertainment's Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner, and Youree Henley. Plan B Entertainment's Brad Pitt, Annapurna's Megan Ellison, and Jillian Longnecker executive produced. Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S. and Universal Pictures International will distribute internationally.

"In talking to Peter, Jason and Robert, it was obvious that their vision for Kajillionaire's release came from a really strong gut response to the movie; I'm so excited to collaborate with them," said Miranda July.

Kajillionaire is July's profoundly moving and wildly original comedy about low-stakes grifters, Old Dolio (Wood) and her parents invite a chipper young woman into their insular clan, only to have their entire world turned upside down.

Focus chairman Peter Kujawski said, "As cinema goers are ever more hungry for truly original experiences, it's hard to imagine a more unique voice than Miranda's. Her heightened worlds are full of humor, heartbreak and humanity, and Kajillionaire doses those out in abundance. We couldn't be more excited to be working with her, along with our good friends at Plan B and Youree to share this experience with audiences everywhere."

UTA represents Miranda July and UTA Independent Film Group handled the sale of the film.

Focus Features acquires and produces specialty films for the global market and holds a library of iconic movies, with 127 Academy Award Nominations and 25 wins from fearless filmmakers. Upcoming and current releases from Focus include Harriet, about the legendary freedom fighter Harriet Tubman starring Cynthia Erivo and Leslie Odom Jr. and directed by Kasi Lemmons; Working Title and Blueprint Picture's new adaptation of Emma . starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Johnny Flynn; the Kevin Costner and Diane Lane led Let Him Go; Jon Stewart's Irresistible starring Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, and Chris Cooper; Edgar Wright's psychological thriller Last Night in Soho from Working Title; the female-led Never Rarely Sometimes Always, from acclaimed writer/director Eliza Hittman; Promising Young Woman produced by LuckyChap Entertainment; the music industry set The High Note starring Dakota Johnson and Tracee Ellis Ross; comedy Half Brothers from director Luke Greenfield; Robin Wright's feature directorial debut Land starring Wright and co-star Demián Bichir; acclaimed filmmaker Morgan Neville's upcoming documentary on Anthony Bourdain; and Dawn Porter's untitled documentary on former Chief White House photographer Pete Souza. Universal Pictures International has led distribution in select markets for titles including Harriet; Emma .; Let Him Go; Irresistible; Last Night in Soho; The High Note; Half Brothers; Land; Untitled Anthony Bourdain documentary; and Untitled White House Photographer Pete Souza documentary.

Focus is part of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), which produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and other distribution platforms. UFEG's global division also includes Universal Pictures, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, and DreamWorks Animation. UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

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