SONY PICTURES CLASSICS ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE RIGHTS TO BRIGSBY BEAR

NEW YORK (January 26, 2017) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they have acquired worldwide rights to Dave McCary’s BRIGSBY BEAR. The highly anticipated film, written by Kevin Costello and Kyle Mooney (Saturday Night Live) premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the U.S. Dramatic Competition section.  This is McCary’s feature film debut. 

Starring Mooney, Claire Danes, Mark Hamill, Greg Kinnear, Matt Walsh and Michaela Watkins, BRIGSBY BEAR was produced by The Lonely Island (POPSTAR: NEVER STOP NEVER STOPPING), Lord Miller (THE LEGO MOVIE, 21 JUMP STREET, 22 JUMP STREET), 3311 Productions (IN A WORLD…, the upcoming TABLE 19), along with YL Pictures.

BRIGSBY BEAR is a children's TV show produced for an audience of one, James (Mooney). When the show abruptly ends, James' life changes forever and he sets out to finish the story himself.  

“This is a special film made by old and new friends, but today we're excited to announce that Sony Pictures Classics have become our actual best friends.  All of our old best friends have been demoted to regular friends.  They are fine, but they never bought movies from us like our new best friends do (sorry Tyler and Adam).  To our best friends at SPC, thank you for your incredible enthusiasm and connection to this story.  We can't wait to share it with the world,” said Director McCary and Writers Costello and Mooney.

"Humorous, dark, fantastical, fun, a work of awesome sincerity. It is impossible to put into words the freshness of BRIGSBY BEAR. The movie is a wonder and it is a privilege to bring it into the world that will embrace it big time," added Sony Pictures Classics.

BRIGSBY BEAR will have a summer release.

The deal was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group and Ian Stratford of Gray Krauss Stratford Sandler Des Rochers LLP, on behalf of the filmmakers.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS

Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992, which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.  Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 37 Academy Awards^® (33 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 159 Academy Award^® nominations (137 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; a global channel network; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of entertainment in more than 142 countries. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com/.