Abigail Breslin-Led Legal Drama ‘Miranda’s Victim’ Sets Vertical Release

EXCLUSIVE: Vertical has snapped up North American rights to Miranda’s Victim, a courtroom drama starring Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) that world premiered as the opener for the 2023 Santa Barbara Film Festival. Pic is slated for a day-and-date release on October 6th, with Arclight Films aboard to handle international sales.

Based on true events, the film tells the story of 18-year-old Trish Weir (Breslin), who in 1963 was kidnapped and sexually assaulted. After a voluntary confession, her assailant, Ernesto Miranda (Sebastian Quinn), is convicted. But the verdict is later overturned by the U.S. Supreme Court since his confession was made without an attorney present. In the resulting retrial, a determined prosecutor (Luke Wilson) seeks to hold Miranda fully accountable, notwithstanding a rigorous defense from Miranda’s attorney (Ryan Phillippe).

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What follows is a legal proceeding that will forever change the nation’s justice system. Weir’s case notably results in the establishment of the Miranda rights afforded to criminal suspects taken in police custody, to ensure the admissibility of statements made during interrogation, as part of subsequent criminal proceedings.

Danner noted in a statement to Deadline that “this is a story about courage and justice. Within the court of law, it was a case of personal justice, but what makes it fascinating is that it ends up becoming iconic justice.”

Also featuring in the pic’s starry ensemble are Luke Wilson, Emily VanCamp, Mireille Enos, Enrique Murciano, Josh Bowman, Brent Sexton, Taryn Manning, Nolan Gould, Dan Lauria, Michael Mulheren, Kyle MacLachlan, Andy Garcia and Donald Sutherland. J. Craig Stiles scripted the film from his story co-written by George Kolber & Richard Lasser, with George Kolber, Valerie Debler, Alexandra Guarnieri, Danner and Brian Drillinger producing. Exec producers included Steven Lee Jones, Richard Kolber, Maria Kolber, Lasser, Red Devil Productions, LLC and Arclight Films’ Gary Hamilton, Ying Ye, and Pia Patatian.

“Abigail and Sebastian deliver powerful performances that capture the frustration and empowerment in this historic criminal case,” commented Vertical’s SVP of Acquisitions Tony Piantedosi. “Under Michelle Danner’s direction, Miranda’s Victim unravels in a poignant, masterful story between a young girl and her assailant, and how one case can change the future of the legal system.”

Vertical Partner Peter Jarowey and Piantedosi negotiated the deal on behalf of the company, with CAA Media Finance on behalf of the filmmakers.

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