IFC Midnight announced today that the company is acquiring all North American rights to director Franck Khalfoun’s thriller MANIAC. Alexandre Aja and Gregory Levasseur wrote the screenplay for the film, which stars Elijah Wood, is a remake of William Lustig’s 1980 film of the same title. Thomas Langmann, Aja, Levasseur, and Lustig produced the project with Antoine de Cazotte, Daniel Delume, Andrew W. Garroni, Pavlina Hatoupis, and Alix Taylor executive producing. MANIAC premiered in the Official Selection of the 2012 Cannes Film Festival out of competition.
Frank is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank’s obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill. A 21st century Jack the Ripper set in present-day LA, MANIAC is a re-boot of the cult filmconsidered by many to be the most suspenseful slasher movie ever made – an intimate, visually daring, psychologically complex and profoundly horrific trip into the downward spiraling nightmare of a killer and his victims.
Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: “Franck Khalfoun and Alexandre Aja have reteamed and are joined by Elijah Wood for a deeply disturbing remake of William Lustig’s classic that will delight genre fans. We can’t wait to bring this to audiences and look forward to working with La Petite Reine and Studio 37 who guided this film into the world.”
The deal for the film was negotiated by Arianna Bocco, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Productions and Jeff Deutchman, Director of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with CAA and Carole Baraton of Wild Bunch on behalf of the filmmakers.
IFC Midnight is a sister label of IFC Films and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.
