It looks like Che has picked up US distribution through Magnolia pictures. We get the scoop from our friend Kristopher Tapley over at InContention:
Lou Lumenick is hearing some rumblings on the “Che” buyer situation in Toronto. From his New York Post blog:
I’m hearing from an exhibition source that Mark Cuban’s Magnolia Pictures has signed to distribute Steven Soderbergh’s “Che” in the United States. The deal is expected to be announced shortly for the two-part biopic of the Argentine guerilla who worked with Fidel Castro starring Benecio del Toro, which premiered to mixed reviews in Cannes. A slightly shorter version — 4 hour 22 minutes total — will be showing at the Toronto and New York Film Festivals. NYFF will be screening “Che” at the 1100-seat Ziegfeld and don’t be surprised if that’s where this epic has a reserved-seat, Academy-qualification run beginning on December 12.
I am interested in seeing this film, but 4 hours and 22 minutes for the “short” version is quite a haul. Because I have interst in the man and his story so I have no problem sitting through an epic length feature; I just wonder how appealing the film will be to the average movie goer. I am going to guess that a film of this length about a communist revolutionary will not be putting many asses in the seats.
That being said, I am pleased that those who have a desire to see this film, will now be able to do so. I can see the film getting a limited release and then getting moved on to DVD land swiftly. I wonder how long the DVD version will be; I suppose we will wait and see.
As a related point of interest – Benicio Del Toro won the Best Actor award at the Cannes film festival for his work in this film.
