At the moment, writer/director/star Chris Rock's latest movie Top Five is without a distributor. But that will very soon change, as it appears that Lionsgate, CBS Films and Relativity Media are all fighting to host the film under their banner.
Variety reports that, following the movie's enthusiastic response after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Saturday, the movie has been a prized commodity for these budding-head studios. At one point in time, Sony Pictures was also supposedly in the mix for the film's distribution too, but appears to have dropped out of the mix without much notice.
The movie is looking to be purchased at somewhere near $7 million or higher as the festival draws on, possibly becoming the largest deal at this year's TIFF.
The first film that Rock has directed since 2007's I Think I Love My Wife, Top Five, previously titled Finally Famous, follows a trajectory of a comedian trying to become a serious actor, after his reality TV star wife talks him into broadcasting their nuptials. The third film Rock has helmed, the first being Head of State, the movie also stars Kevin Hart and Rosario Dawson, and was produced by Scott Rudin for a reported $6 million budget.
One of the first reviews for the movie from HitFlix predicted such a bidding war would become a reality. While, at the moment, it seemed mildly silly, it appears the movie's studio insistence is no joke.
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