The Weinstein Company To Release ONE CHANCE On Yahoo Screen Before It Hits Theaters

On the night of June 9th 2007, a new television reality show called ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ went on air in the UK. On its first ever broadcast, a shy, unassuming man opened his mouth to sing the famous operatic aria ‘Nessun Dorma’, delivering a beautiful, stirring rendition that would change his life from that moment forward.

Swept up in the contagious emotion of Giacomo Puccini’s stunning aria, and the unlikely figure with crooked teeth and diluted confidence who had crooned it for them, the show’s three judges – Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Piers Morgan – stared in awe at what they had just witnessed, while the audience of 2,000 at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff erupted in a standing ovation.

Britain was instantly won over by Paul Potts, who was then working as a manager at the Port Talbot branch of The Carphone Warehouse, and followed him on his journey to becoming the first ever winner of the new talent show and, subsequently, a world-famous opera singer.

Potts’ unanticipated vocal prowess didn’t stay confined to UK shores for long, blazing a scorched trail around the globe as news of his improbable audition went viral and millions watched it for themselves on YouTube.

But despite his own admission before going on stage that he was lacking in confidence, few knew the herculean effort it had taken for Potts to reach that point, and the trials, tribulations and monumental setbacks he had suffered along the way.

As thrilling as Potts’ on-air success was to behold, it was the story leading up to his ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ appearance that the filmmakers of ONE CHANCE wanted to tell: the tale of a steelworker’s son from south Wales who fell in love with opera at an early age and, despite bullying, skepticism and physical hardship, never gave up on trying to achieve his dreams. And by the way, it’s a comedy.

Today, Yahoo and The Weinstein Company have announced that the U.S. pre-theatrical release of the film ONE CHANCE will be exclusively on Yahoo Screen beginning this fall.

“We’re so thrilled to be partnering with Yahoo on this first venture in bringing ‘One Chance’ to audiences online before it hits theaters. In today’s digital era, technology has developed and changed the landscape of how many people watch movies and TV. Our partnership with Yahoo has allowed us to adapt and expand our reach to limitless audiences,” said David Glasser, COO and President of The Weinstein Company.

From the director of “The Devil Wears Prada,” ONE CHANCE is the remarkable and inspirational true story of Paul Potts, a shy, bullied shop assistant by day and an amateur opera singer by night.

Fresh from celebrating his Tony Award-winning Broadway run in ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’, BAFTA winner James Corden (THE HISTORY BOYS) stars as Paul Potts. The cast also includes Julie Walters (MAMMA MIA!, CALENDAR GIRLS, BILLY ELLIOT), Mackenzie Crook (THE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN), Colm Meaney (GET HIM TO THE GREEK), Jemima Rooper (KINKY BOOTS), Valeria Bilello (PAZZE DI ME) and rising star Alexandra Roach (THE IRON LADY).

Directed by David Frankel (THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA, MARLEY & ME, HOPE SPRINGS) and written by Justin Zackham (THE BUCKET LIST), ONE CHANCE is produced by Mike Menchel, Brad Weston, Kris Thykier (KICK-ASS, THE DEBT, I GIVE IT A YEAR), Simon Cowell, and executive produced by Bob and Harvey Weinstein.