MGM Relaunches American International Pictures And Makes Tate Taylor’s ‘Breaking News In Yuba County’ The Company’s First Acquisition

Justin Kroll
·3 min read
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MGM is relaunching American International Pictures and making Tate Taylor’s Breaking News in Yuba County it’s first acquisition. MGM acquired the domestic rights to Breaking News in Yuba County from AGC studios and the newly launched AIP label will release the film, starring Allison Janney, Mila Kunis, Regina Hall, Awkwafina, Wanda Sykes, Matthew Modine, Ellen Barkin, Samira Wiley, Bridget Everett, Clifton Collins, Jr., Jimmi Simpson and Juliette Lewis beginning January 29, 2021. In the U.S., Breaking News in Yuba County will be released theatrically via MGM’s joint venture distribution company United Artists Releasing. Films released under the AIP banner are overseen by MGM across all downstream media.

“Tate has made a widely entertaining film and we are thrilled to be partnering with him and AGC Studios to bring it to audiences in January,” said Chris Ottinger, President of World Wide Television Distribution & Acquisitions at MGM.

The film follows an overlooked pencil pusher (Janney) who catches her husband in bed with another woman, which causes him to die of a heart attack. She buries his body and takes advantage of the growing celebrity status that comes from having a missing husband. But she quickly finds herself in over her head, dodging cops and criminals, all while trying to keep the truth from her half-sister (Kunis), a local news anchor who’s desperate for a story, and a relentless local policewoman (Hall).

“I’m very excited that audiences will have the chance to see the brilliant performances of our ensemble cast, led by the incomparable Alison Janney,” said Taylor. “This project was a true labor of love for all of us and we are delighted to be working with Sam Wollman and his team at AIP to get Yuba out into the world.”

The film was financed by AGC Studios in association with Ingenious Media and Fibonacci Films.

“We’re delighted that Yuba is going to be expertly handled by MGM’s studio caliber theatrical and downstream distribution team and we’re honored for the film to be the flagship release for the revamped American International Pictures label,” said GC’s Chairman and CEO Stuart Ford.

Directed by Taylor and written by Amanda Idoko, the producers are AGC Studios, Taylor, Jake Gyllenhaal and Riva Marker via their Nine Stories banner, Franklin Leonard’s The Black List, and John Norris. Executive producers are AGC’s Chairman and CEO Ford, AGC’s COO Miguel Palos, Jr., Nine Stories’ Annie Marter, Greg Shapiro, Greg Clark, Victoria Hill, Amit Pandya, Stephen Spence, Robin Mulcahy Fisichella, Janney, and Amanda Idoko.

CAA Media Finance and Endeavor Content arranged financing for the film and brokered the deal with MGM alongside AGC.

The deal was brokered on behalf of MGM by Sam Wollman, EVP of Worldwide Acquisitions & Film Sales, and AGC’s Stuart Ford and VP of Business and Legal Affairs Anant Tamirisa. Formed in the mid-1950’s, American International Pictures was founded as an independent film production and distribution company.

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