Nicole Kidman's Rabbit Hole Sold; Film Eligible For 2011 Oscars!

We are more than thrilled for Nicole & Blossom Films, John Cameron Mitchell, David Lindsay-Abaire, and the rest of the immensely talented cast and crew. Congratulations everyone!


“Rabbit Hole” Picked Up For 2010 Awards Season

by Peter Knegt

Lionsgate has confirmed that John Cameron Mitchell’s Toronto premiere “Rabbit Hole” has been acquired by the distributor for North American release later this year. That means “Hole” will factor in to this year’s awards season, with performances from the likes of Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart and Dianne Wiest all strong contenders for Oscar nominations.

Adapted from David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Rabbit Hole” stars Kidman and Eckhart as parents coping with the recent death of their four-year old son. The film has won significant acclaim in the days since it premiered in Toronto, currently averaging a rare “A” level grade on criticWIRE.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be working with the distributor that brought us ‘Precious,’ ‘Monster’s Ball’ and ‘Crash,’” Mitchell told indieWIRE today. “To have their expertise a bringing small yet commercial family dramas to the marketplace and the fact that it will be a priority project for them is a heavy-sent gift this late in the season.”

It is the second big deal in two days for Lionsgate, which partnered with Roadside Attractions for the U.S. rights on the Robert Redford-directed ‘The Conspirator’ yesterday morning.



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Lionsgate takes trip down 'Rabbit Hole'

Picks up North American rights to Nicole Kidman drama

By Gregg Kilday

In a move that injects a new contender into this year's Academy Awards race, Lionsgate has picked up North American rights to John Cameron Mitchell's "Rabbit Hole," starring Nicole Kidman.

The movie will be released this year, and based on positive reactions at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it had its world premiere, that should make it a player this awards season.

Directed by Mitchell and adapted for the screen by David Lindsay-Abaire from his play, the movie, which is in the vein of domestic dramas like "Kramer vs. Kramer" and "Ordinary People," stars Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as parents mourning the death of a child and attempting to come to terms with their grief.

Dianne Wiest plays Kidman's mother, and Kidman, Wiest and Eckhart have all been lauded for their awards-worthy performances.

The play, first produced in 2006 in New York, earned a Pulitzer Prize, and a Tony for Cynthia Nixon, who played the Kidman part.

The film version was produced by Olympus Pictures, Bloosom Films and Odd Lot Entertainment. Producers are Leslie Urdang, Dean Vanech, Kidman, Per Saari and Gigi Pritzker, with Daniels Revers, Bill Lischak, Linda McDonough and Brian O'Shea as exec producers.

The deal was negotiated between CAA and Lionsgate's Jason Constantine, Eda Kowan and Wendy Jaffe, and marks Lionsgate's second buy of a high-profile title after it joined with Roadside to acquire Robert Redford's "The Conspirator."



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TORONTO: Lionsgate Buying 'Rabbit Hole'

By MIKE FLEMING | Thursday September 16, 2010 @ 1:57pm EDT

EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate is wrapping up a deal to acquire North American distribution rights to Rabbit Hole, and the plan is to jump right into this year's Oscar race by releasing the picture before year's end. They will take advantage of a career performance by Nicole Kidman as a mother who loses her child. The John Cameron Mitchell-directed film stars Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as a married couple trying to keep the relationship alive after a devastating loss. David Lindsay-Abaire adapted his Pulitzer Prize-winning play.

It is the second big deal in two days for Lionsgate, which partnered with Roadside Attractions for the U.S. rights on the Robert Redford-directed The Conspirator. While the decision was made for that pic to sit out this crowding Oscar field, Lionsgate needed a horse to ride in the race and Rabbit Hole is it. The buzz on the film has been strong here, both among critics and audiences, despite its dark subject matter. Kidman is credited with her best performance since her Oscar-winning turn in The Hours. On Rabbit Hole, she found and bought the stage play and receives her first producing credit since she was the catalyst for getting the movie made. The deal was negotiated between CAA and Lionsgate's Jason Constantine, Eda Kowan and Wendy Jaffe.