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Fox Searchlight picks up Sundance film ‘Calvary’ starring Brendan Gleeson

by: Uproxx authors

In the latest big pickup at the Sundance Film Festival, Fox Searchlight Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to John Michael McDonagh’s dark religious comedy “Calvary,” starring Brendan Gleeson and Chris O’Dowd.

The film reunites writer-director McDonagh with his “The Guard” star Gleeson, who plays an idealistic priest named James who is troubled by increasingly scary encounters with a mysterious member of his parish. O’Dowd (“Bridesmaids,” “The IT Crowd”) plays a local who helps James where he can. 

“Calvary” was produced by Reprisal Films” Chris Clark and Flora Fernandez Marengo and Octagon’s James Flynn

“We made a great film. In Fox Searchlight, we now have a great company behind us to send that film out into the world. Thank you, Sundance. Thank you, bourbon! Onward,” said McDonagh in a press release.
“We were impressed by the passion and commitment of Fox Searchlight towards Calvary, and look forward to the next chapter for the film,” said Clark.
“We’ve found the perfect home for the film and are thrilled to be working with Steve and Nancy and their wonderful team at Fox Searchlight,” said Fernandez Marengo.

“Brendan Gleeson gives a tour de force performance in a film that John Michael McDonagh has written and directed with perfection, taking us into a world with distinctive characters where the stakes are high,” added Fox Searchlight  presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley.

“Calvary” also stars Kelly Reilly, Aidan Gillen, Dylan Moran, Isaach De Bankolé, M. Emmet Walsh, Marie-Josée Croze and Domhnall Gleeson.

The film will be released sometime in 2014.