Celine Song’s ‘Past Lives’ follow-up ‘Materialists’ is being sold internationally to Sony in another major EFM deal; Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans in talks to star

EXCLUSIVE: After we broke the news that the studio had canceled the film “Margot Robbie” Big, brave, beautiful journeywe can reveal that Sony Pictures has taken on board another of the most sought-after projects on the European film market: Past lives The next film by director Celine Song, Materialiststhe A24 sold.

In what we understand to be an eight-figure deal, Sony has taken over all international sales except Russia, China and Japan. A24 will handle the US release.

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After being nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture Past livesSong’s next film is a romantic comedy that is attracting top-notch talent, with Dakota Johnson, Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal in talks to star.

Past lives Producers Christine Vachon and Pam Koffler of Killer Films and David Hinojosa of 2AM are behind the film, which Song also wrote and produced. The team hopes to begin shooting this spring.

Plot details have been kept secret, but we’ve heard it’s about a professional matchmaker who gets involved with a rich man but still harbors feelings for the bankrupt actor-waiter she left behind.

In Berlin, Joe Matukewicz, President Worldwide Acquisitions at Sony Pictures, and his team Virginia Longmuir, EVP, Business Affairs, Katie Anderson, VP, Worldwide Acquisitions, and Elan Kovo, VP Business Development, brought the package to the studio. A small note: It says Materialistsnot The Materialistswe hear.

We hear good things about the script that has excited EFM buyers. Some saw the genre as a risky change of direction for the filmmaker after Past livesbut the distributors we spoke to about it were all excited about the project. Now that Sony has taken most international distributors off the table, foreign buyers’ attention has already turned elsewhere. There are still plenty of good ones out there, as we detailed in our Market Preview earlier this week.

One project that is no longer available is Margot Robbie’s Barbie follow up A great, brave, beautiful journeywhich Sony had also preempted, this time in the form of a sensational worldwide deal.

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