Netflix Acquires THE DISCOVERY, Starring Rooney Mara & Robert Redford

By: Jun. 13, 2016
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Netflix has acquired global rights to Charlie McDowell's THE DISCOVERY, starring Rooney Mara (Carol), Robert Redford (Truth) and Jason Segel (The End of the Tour). The film will premiere on Netflix and in select theaters in the US in 2017.

Directed by Charlie McDowell and written by McDowell and Justin Lader, The Discovery is a gripping love story set one year after the existence of the afterlife is scientifically verified. Redford plays the scientist responsible for the discovery, with Segel portraying his son Will and Mara playing Isla, a woman haunted by a tragic past who Will falls in love with.

"To describe the story as original doesn't begin to capture the world that Charlie has created that will envelop you," said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. "Our global viewers are going to love this film."

Endgame's James Stern added: "I am a big fan of Charlie's work and jumped at the chance to work with him on an incredible script with an exceptionally talented cast. And to be in partnership with Netflix is a perfect storm for Endgame."

Shot on location in Rhode Island, the film also features Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad), Riley Keough (American Honey, The Girlfriend Experience) and Ron Canada (The Strain).

The Discovery joins the growing lineup of Netflix original films, and titles premiering in 2016, including: The Fundamentals of Caring, starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts and Selena Gomez, premiering June 24; Tallulah, starring Ellen Page and Allison Janney, premiering July 29; in the U.S., the lauded animated film, The Little Prince starting August 5, featuring the voices of Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, Paul Rudd, Marion Cotillard and Benicio Del Toro; David Michôd's War Machine, starring Brad Pitt, Anthony Michael Hall, Topher Grace, Will Poulter with Tilda Swinton and Ben Kingsley (fall '16); The Siege of Jadotville, starring Jamie Dornan and Guillaume Canet (fall '16); Mascots from director Christopher Guest (fall '16); and True Memoirs of an International Assassin starring Kevin James (fall '16); among other titles.

The Discovery was produced by Alex Orlovsky of Verisimilitude and James D. Stern of Endgame Entertainment, and was co-financed by Endgame Entertainment and Protagonist Pictures. Executive Producers are Mike Goodridge and Dimitra Tsingou for Protagonist, and Julie Goldstein and Lucas Smith for Endgame.

McDowell recently made his feature film directorial debut with The One I Love, starring Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss. The film, written by McDowell and Justin Lader, premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival as a critics' favorite. McDowell recently directed episodes of the third season of the HBO Emmy and Golden Globe winning hit comedy television series, Silicon Valley.

Alex Orlovsky has a slew of award-winning credits including The Place Beyond The Pines, Blue Valentine, The Wolfpack and Half Nelson. Stern and Endgame have produced a host of hit independent films including Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects which also starred
Rooney Mara, Rian Johnson's Looper, Lone Scherfig's An Education (nominated for Best Picture), and I'm Not There directed by Todd Haines and starring Oscar nominated Cate Blanchett.

About Netflix Netflix is the world's leading Internet television network with over 81 million members in over 190 countries enjoying more than 125 million hours of TV shows and movies per day, including original series, documentaries and feature films. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments.

About Endgame Entertainment Endgame Entertainment is a production and financing company focused on creating and supporting high-quality projects from innovative and creative filmmakers. Under the leadership of CEO James D. Stern, Endgame has produced and/or financed a variety of film, television, and live stage productions across a wide range of genres. Endgame's upcoming projects include Snowden, starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, which is written and directed by Oliver Stone and will be released by Open Road September 16; as well as Larry Charles' comedy Army of One starring Nicolas Cage and Russell Brand, which will be released by TWC-Dimension. Lionsgate recently released Endgame's Freeheld, starring Julianne Moore and Ellen Page, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Past Endgame Entertainment releases include Tarsem Singh's Self/Less, Rian Johnson's Looper and The Brothers Bloom, Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects, Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, Lord of War, I'm Not There, Every Little Step, and the Oscar-nominated films An Education and Hotel Rwanda Recent television projects for Endgame include the HBO documentary called Sport in America: Our Defining Stories, and the Golden Globe winning mini-series Dancing on the Edge, for Starz.

About Protagonist Pictures Protagonist Pictures is an international finance, production and sales company which has a proven track record in outstanding films and commercial successes. Based in the UK, the company has grown since its establishment in 2008 to handle films from around the world, while maintaining a strong focus on filmmakers with strong vision and storytelling skills.

Protagonist's current slate of films includes Andrea Arnold's 2016 Cannes Jury Prize-winner American Honey, Rebecca Miller's acclaimed comedy Maggie's Plan, Yorgos Lanthimos' 2015 Cannes prize winner The Lobster, Whit Stillman's Jane Austen comedy Love & Friendship, and upcoming new titles from Ben Wheatley and Oren Moverman.



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