Paris-based Orange Studio has nearly sold out its two French comedy highlights, Philippe de Chauveron’s “Serial (Bad) Weddings 2” and Philippe Lacheau’s “City Hunter.”
“Serial (Bad) Weddings 2,” which opened the UniFrance Rendez-Vous in Paris last week, is the sequel of the smash hit film which grossed over $148 million worldwide. The movie has been acquired for Spain (A Contracorriente), Japan (Cetera), Italy (IIF), Greece (Odeon), Germany (Neue Visionen), Austria (Filmladen), Switzerland (JMH Distributions), Benelux (Belga) and Canada (A-Z Films).
More deals were signed for Poland (Gutek), Czech Republic (Cinemart), Russia (Exponenta), Middle East and North Africa (Falcon), Baltics (A One Films), and Romania, Hungary, Moldavia (Mediasquad) and airlines (Skeye).
“Serial (Bad) Weddings 2” will be released on Jan. 30 in Paris. The sneak premieres of the movie across France have been packed. The sequel brings back the Verneuil family, an upper-class Catholic couple (Christian Clavier and Chantal Lauby) from a French province and their three daughters who have married men of different faiths.
Meanwhile, “City Hunter,” a French spinoff of the hit 1980s Japanese manga, has been picked up for Japan (New Select), South Korea (The Coup), Russia (Volga), Thailand (Sahamongkolfilm), Taiwan (Catchplay), Poland (Puls) as well as Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Bulgaria (Prorom).
On top of being based on a well-known Japanese manga, “City Hunter” is directed by Lacheau who has become a staple comedy director in France with credits including the hit comedy franchise, “Babysitting” and “Alibi.com.” The anticipated comedy will be released on Feb. 6.
Along with “Serial (Bad) Weddings 2” and “City Hunter,” Orange Studio was showing four more films at the UniFrance Rendez-Vous, including Bertrand Blier’s “Convoi exceptionnel” with Gerard Depardieu and Christian Clavier.