Sony Pictures Classics announced today they have acquired all North American and Latin American rights to The Happy Prince, which is written by, directed by and stars Rupert Everett. The film has its European premiere tomorrow at the Berlin International Film Festival as a Special Gala and had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in January.
The Happy Prince follows the last days of Oscar Wilde – and the ghosts that haunted them. Everett portrays Wilde in his directorial debut, reportedly embodying the literary genius physically and emotionally as he lives out his last days in exile in Europe. His body ailing and heavy, his mind spinning, he survives by falling back on the flamboyant irony and brilliant wit that defined him. As the film travels through Wilde’s final act and journeys through England, France and Italy, desire and loyalty face off, the transience of lust is laid bare, and the true riches of love are revealed.
The film also stars Colin Morgan (Merlin), Edwin Thomas, Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Emily Watson (War Horse) and Tom Wilkinson (The Full Monty). It is also produced by Sébastien Delloye, Philipp Kreuzer and Jörg Schulze.
Sony Pictures Classics has had a recent splash of success with their critically acclaimed feature Call Me By Your Name, starring Academy Award nominee Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer. Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics and in a statement, Everett expressed his excitement with working with the company again following their distribution of the film he made his debut feature in:
“I am absolutely thrilled, particularly because Michael [Barker] and Tom [Bernard] distributed my first film Another Country.”
The Happy Prince is set for release sometime this year.
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(Photo Credit; Getty Images)
