EXCLUSIVE: Sony Classics is finalizing a U.S. pre-buy of period drama Farnsworth House, which is to star Ralph Fiennes and Elizabeth Debicki.
Debicki, who is soon to be seen starring in Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, is in final negotiations to join in the co-lead role which was previously going to be Maggie Gyllenhaal but the latter is newly taken up with directorial debut The Lost Daughter.
Set in late 1940s Chicago, Debicki will play Dr. Edith Farnsworth, whose ambitious project with the revolutionary Bauhaus architect Mies Van Der Rohe, played by Fiennes, to build the first glass house led them into a passionate but tempestuous love affair. Pic is due to shoot this spring or summer.
Richard Press, known for feature documentary Bill Cunningham New York, wrote the screenplay and will direct. Pic is a Canada-Ireland co-production from Serendipity Point Films producers Robert Lantos (Eastern Promises, Barney’s Version) and Ari Lantos (Remember), with Dublin-based Fantastic Films, whose co-producer is Brendan McCarthy. Executive producers are Mark Musselman (Barney’s Version), Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa (Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine), with Matt Flanders (Goldbricks In Bloom).
HanWay is handling international sales at the EFM. ICM reps domestic.
The Night Manager star Debicki is coming off Venice title The Burnt Orange Heresy. Oscar-nominee Fiennes has Bond, The King’s Man and The Dig in post. Classics is coming off Sundance hit The Father and Oscar-nominated Pain And Glory.
Farnsworth House is a Canada-Ireland co-production.
The Canadian production company is Serendipity Point Films, and producers are Robert Lantos (Eastern Promises, Barney’s Version) and Ari Lantos (Remember). The Irish company is Dublin-based Fantastic Films, with the co-producer, Brendan McCarthy.
Executive producers are Mark Musselman (Barney’s Version), Albert Berger & Ron Yerxa (Nebraska, Little Miss Sunshine), and Matt Flanders (Goldbricks in Bloom).
SPC has the following territories: USA; Latin America; UK; Germany; Italy; Scandinavia; Australia/N.Z.; Asia (excluding Singapore, Brunei, S. Korea); China, S. Africa.