On the eve of its world premiere on the Lido, the distributor has picked up the buzzy biopic — starring Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley — for several markets, including the U.K., Germany, Latin America and Turkey.
One of the most hotly anticipated films heading to the Venice Film Festival has been snapped up by Mubi.
On the eve of the festival, the distributor, streamer and production company has acquired international rights (excluding North America and Italy) for Sofia Coppola’s feature Priscilla, set to world premiere in competition on the Lido.
Mubi will retain all rights in the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Austria, Latin America, Benelux and Turkey, with theatrical releases planned for the U.K., Ireland, Germany, Latin America, Belgium and the Netherlands. The Match Factory — which Mubi acquired in early 2022 — is handling sales for all other acquired territories excluding North America and Italy.
Written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Priscilla is based on the 1985 memoir Elvis and Me written by Priscilla Presley and Sandra Harmon. The film stars Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown, Bad Times at the El Royale) as Priscilla Beaulieu, Jacob Elordi (Euphoria, The Kissing Booth) as Elvis Presley and Dagmara Dominczyk (Succession, Bottoms, The Lost Daughter). It follows Beaulieu after she meets Presley, already a meteoric rock-and-roll superstar but someone who becomes not just a thrilling crush, but an ally in loneliness and vulnerable best friend. Through her eyes, Coppola’s film looks to tells the unseen side of the great American myth in Elvis and Priscilla’s long courtship and turbulent marriage, from a German army base to his dream-world estate at Graceland.
Priscilla was produced by Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment Pictures, a Fremantle Company, Coppola for American Zoetrope, and Youree Henley. It was financed by Fremantle Group. A24 will distribute in the U.S. and Vision Distribution, a Sky Company, will distribute in Italy.
Coppola is represented by Gersh and Hirsch Wallerstein. Spaeny is represented by WME and Sugar 23 and Elordi is represented by Gersh, Nicky Gluyas Management and Goodman Genow Schenkman.
Alongside Priscilla — which, judging by previous festival activities, is unlikely to be Mubi’s only acquisition from the lineup — the company has two co-productions premiering in Venice in Michel Franco’s competition title Memory, starring Jessica Chastain and Peter Sarsgaard, and Gasoline Rainbow, premiering in the Orizzonti section. The Match Factory is handling international sales for both films.
