Oprah Winfrey’s OWN cable network has won the television rights to Lee Daniels’ The Butler, which features the former talkshow host herself in a supporting role.
Variety reports that the film will get to premiere on OWN after the pay television window closes, meaning that it won’t appear on OWN until 2017 at the earliest.
The Butler, directed by Lee Daniels, stars Forest Whitaker as a butler who served in the White House for over half a century and features an all-star cast in supporting roles. Winfrey plays his wife and has been garnering Oscar buzz in the Best Supporting Actress race.
The film cost The Weinstein Company just $30 million to produce, but has grossed $107 million domestically, according to Box Office Mojo. It has also grossed $6 million overseas.
“This is a film that every American should see and we look forward to its debut on OWN,” network president Sheri Salata said in a statement, notes Deadline.
Harvey Weinstein called OWN the “ideal broadcast home for this film, which has had such a tremendous response from theatrical audiences.” He also called it an “honor” to work with Winfrey.
image: TWC