Neon has acquired world rights to Steven Soderbergh’s The Christophers and plans to release the film in theaters in 2026.
The exact release date has not been determined. This is Soderbergh’s second collaboration with Neon, following the release of the psychological thriller “Presence” earlier this year. Soderbergh is also known for “Ocean’s Eleven,” “Contagion,” “Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic,” and “Sex, Lies and Videotape.”
His latest directorial effort, The Christophers, stars Ian McKellen, Michaela Coel, Jessica Gunning and James Corden. McKellen plays Julian Sklar, an elderly painter who hasn’t painted in decades and has been penniless for years. His two estranged children (Corden and Gunning) want his inheritance and hire an art forger (Cole) to complete an important project from his past.
The Christophers premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews, with Variety magazine’s chief film critic Peter De Bruges calling the story a “sparkling original drama” and praising McKellen and Cole as “two first-rate British actors from vastly different backgrounds and styles at the top of their respective games.”
Neon represents international sales for “The Christophers”. Department M produced and financed the film, which was written by Ed Solomon (No Sudden Move). Mike Larocca and Michael Shaffer of Department M served as producers with Butler & Sklar Productions, Jim Parks, and Ian A. Canning. Executive producer Corey Bays. The deal was negotiated by Alison Cohen on behalf of Neon and CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.
Neon, also from TIFF, has acquired the U.S. rights to the music documentary “Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.” In the coming months, the independent studio will release Jafar Panahi’s Palme d’Or winner “It Was Just an Accident,” Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value” and Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice.”
