Lightning Entertainment Acquires International Rights To GUS Starring Michelle Monaghan And Radha Mitchell

Lightning Entertainment, the Santa Monica-based sales, production and distribution company, has acquired international rights to the hit South by Southwest Film Festival comedy, GUS, starring Michelle Monaghan (SOURCE CODE, GONE BABY GONE) Radha Mitchell (OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN, SILENT HILL) and Michael Weston (Fox’s “House,” HBO’s “Six Feet Under”), it was announced today by Robert Beaumont, President of Lightning.

The film, which premiered at the South by Southwest Film Festival to rave reviews in March, marks the feature film debut of Jessie McCormack, who directed from her own script.

McCormack is also a producer alongside Kathryn Himoff, Kevin Fitzmaurice Comer and Erik Van Wyck. The film is executive produced by Richard N. Gladstein (FINDING NEVERLAND, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES, THE BOURNE IDENTITY). The deal was negotiated by Lightning Entertainment’s Joseph Dickstein and ICM Partners on behalf of the filmmakers. ICM Partners represents Monaghan and Mitchell and is also repping US rights to the film.

Mathilde Epstein and Alexandra Cocean, Lightning’s VPs of International Sales, as well as Richard Guardian, Lightning’s Acquisitions & Sales Consultant, will introduce the project to buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Market in May. The film will be making its market premiere on Thursday, May 16th.

GUS tells the story of Lizzie (Mitchell), who longs to start a family with her husband Peter, but is unable to conceive. Her best friend Andie (Monaghan), single and adrift, gets pregnant from a one-night stand and offers to give Lizzie the baby. Reluctantly, Peter agrees to be the child’s father, and before he knows it Andie has moved into the guest room for the duration of her pregnancy. When Peter also invites his ne’er-do-well recovering-addict brother (Weston) to the house, hilarious chaos ensues, testing the limits of friendship, family and a marriage.

“GUS is a touching story which showcases the power of female friendships featuring strong performances grounded in reality from its two leads, Michelle and Radha,” said Beaumont. “We look forward to presenting this title to our buyers.”

McCormack started her career in theatre, with her first stage play, Spine, having runs in New York and Los Angeles. Her last play, Journey to Dollywood, which featured a voice over from Dolly Parton, enjoyed a successful run in Los Angeles. Prior to GUS, McCormack wrote, directed and starred in the short film, THE ANTAGONIST, which played at various film festivals.

Monaghan first captivated audiences with her breakout roles in KISS KISS BANG BANG opposite Robert Downey Jr. and GONE BABY GONE with Casey Affleck and Morgan Freeman. She has since appeared in many films including J.J. Abrams’ MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE III co-starring Tom Cruise, Duncan Jones’ SOURCE CODE opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, EAGLE EYE with Shia LaBeouf, Sofia Coppola’s SOMEWHERE, and TRUCKER, for which she won the Best Actress award from the San Diego Film Critics. Upcoming she stars in HBO’s “True Detective” opposite Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson, BETTER LIVING THROUGH CHEMISTRY opposite Sam Rockwell and Olivia Wilde and A MANY SPLINTERED THING opposite Chris Evans.

Mitchell currently stars on the ABC series “Red Widow” and was most recently seen in the actioner OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN. Upcoming features include STANDING UP, EVIDENCE, FUGLY, BIRD PEOPLE, THE FROZEN GROUND and BIG SUR. Past film credits include SURROGATES, THE CRAZIES, FINDING NEVERLAND, MAN ON FIRE, PHONE BOOTH, PITCH BLACK and her acclaimed dual performance as both the comic and tragic leads in Woody Allen’s MELINDA AND MELINDA. In 2009, Mitchell co-produced and starred in the, THE WAITING CITY, which premiered at TIFF and screened for the closing gala of the 2010 IFFLA. Mitchell gave a memorable performance in Lisa Cholodenko’s critically acclaimed drama HIGH ART. Her role in Emma-Kate Croghan’s romantic comedy LOVE AND OTHER CATASTROPHES was highly praised at both the Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals. Originally hailing from Australia, Radha currently resides in Southern California.

Weston is most known for his recurring role as detective Lucas Douglas on Fox’s “House,” with Hugh Laurie and Jake in HBO’s critically acclaimed series “Six Feet Under.” In film, his screen credits include the indie hit GARDEN STATE opposite Zach Braff and Natalie Portman, LAST KISS, WEDDING DAZE and STATE OF PLAY. He was last seen in the festival hit BROOKLYN BROTHERS BEAT THE BEST, written/directed by Ryan O’Nan.

In addition to GUS, Lightning’s Cannes slate includes DEAD DROP starring Luke Goss, Cole Hauser and Nestor Carbonell; South African crime-thriller BLACKSOUTH EASTER, both making their market premieres; the acclaimed documentary HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING DRUGS; FIVE THIRTEEN starring Danny Trejo and Tom Sizemore; SCORNED starring AnnaLynne McCord and Billy Zane; HEALING directed by Craig Monahan and starring Hugo Weaving; the action thriller FREEZER starring Dylan McDermott and Peter Facinelli and the Australian adventure thriller THE JUNGLE directed by Andrew Traucki.