HBO Max Acquires Worldwide Rights to Feature Film, Adapted by Simon Rich and Directed by Brandon Trost
HBO Max has acquired worldwide rights to An American Pickle, which will be released under the upcoming platform’s Warner Max label. The film, starring Seth Rogen in dual leading roles, is an adaptation of the 2013 New Yorker series Sell Out by Simon Rich who also adapts, and is directed by Brandon Trost, the cinematographer from Rogen’s previous films (This is the End, Neighbors, The Interview). Rogen, Evan Goldberg and James Weaver are producers for Point Grey. Executive producers are Rich, Point Grey’s Alex McAtee and Ted Gidlow.
HBO Max acquired the film from Sony Pictures so that it would not be delayed due to Covid-19 theater closures and will now reach audiences this year via the new streaming platform.
The film is based on Rich’s New Yorker novella and stars Rogen as Herschel Greenbaum, a struggling laborer who immigrates to America in 1920 with dreams of building a better life for his beloved family. One day, while working at his factory job, he falls into a vat of pickles and is brined for 100 years. The brine preserves him perfectly and when he emerges in present day Brooklyn, he finds that he hasn’t aged a day. But when he seeks out his family, he is troubled to learn that his only surviving relative is his great grandson, Ben Greenbaum (also played by Rogen), a mild-mannered computer coder whom Herschel can’t even begin to understand.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled to be partnering with HBO Max to release this film. We worked very hard and put as much of ourselves in this story as possible. We’re very proud of the end result and we can’t wait for people to get to see it” said Rogen.
“HBO Max is in the market for motion pictures that stand out. And An American Pickle does stand out – with Seth in this wonderfully original, funny, and heartfelt film that we look forward to debuting this summer,”says Kevin Reilly, Chief Content Officer at HBO Max, President, TNT, TBS and truTV. Executive Vice President of Original Films, Jessie Henderson adds, “I am a huge fan of the original New Yorker story Sell Out and am in awe of how brilliantly Seth, Simon and Brandon translated it to film as only they could have.â€
Seth Rogen, Point Grey, Simon Rich and Brandon Trost are all repped at UTA.
About HBO Max
HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer offering debuting in spring 2020. With 10,000 hours of curated premium content anticipated at launch, HBO Max will offer powerhouse programming for everyone in the home, bringing together HBO, a robust slate of new original series, key third-party licensed programs and movies, and fan favorites from Warner Media’s rich library including Warner Bros., New Line, DC, CNN, TNT, TBS, truTV, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Crunchyroll, Rooster Teeth, Looney Tunes and more. Sign up for updates at HBOMax.com.
About WarnerMedia
WarnerMedia is a leading media and entertainment company that creates and distributes premium and popular content from a diverse array of talented storytellers and journalists to global audiences through its consumer brands including: HBO, HBO Now, HBO Max, Warner Bros., TNT, TBS, truTV, CNN, DC, New Line, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and others. WarnerMedia is part of AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T).
About Point Grey
Launched in 2011 by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Point Grey Pictures (PGP) is a production company dedicated to creating multi-genre film and television content anchored in dynamic, authentic and passionate storytelling. Known for box-office hits like NEIGHBORS and THIS IS THE END, to the first R-rated CGI film SAUSAGE PARTY, to the Academy Award-nominated THE DISASTER ARTIST and unconventional series like PREACHER, FUTURE MAN and BLACK MONDAY , PGP continues to bring a range of smart, irreverent narratives to audiences. Garnering over one billion dollars in global box office results, Point Grey has created a variety of successful films from indie to blockbuster.
2019 marked a banner year for Point Grey with the release of Jonathan Levine’s romantic comedy LONG SHOT starring Rogen and Charlize Theron, Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky’s box office hit GOOD BOYS as well as the critically acclaimed Amazon series THE BOYS. The show, which was renewed for a second season before the show even premiered, will return this year. Point Grey also produced the third and final season of FUTURE MAN as well as the second season of BLACK MONDAY, both of which premiered in 2020.
Source: Warner Media
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The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.