Tony Goldwyn’s ‘Ezra’ Secures U.S. Distribution With Bleecker Street Following TIFF Premiere

Bleecker Street has taken U.S. rights to Ezra, the starry family dramedy from actor-turned-director Tony Goldwyn, which is coming off its world premiere in the Special Presentations section of the Toronto Film Festival. Starring Bobby Cannavale, Rose Byrne, Robert De Niro, and newcomer William A. Fitzgerald, the film is slated for release in theaters in 2024.

Ezra is Bleecker’s second acquisition title out of TIFF 2023 on the heels of the James Hawes-helmed One Life, a biopic starring Anthony Hopkins as the humanitarian Nicholas Winton, which also debuted in Special Presentations. The company has been active on the acquisitions front of late, also securing U.S. rights to the Brit comedy Fackham Hall, as well as UK rights to Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron, alongside Elysian Film Group and Anonymous Content.

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Also starring Vera Farmiga, Rainn Wilson, and Whoopi Goldberg, Ezra follows Max Brandel (Cannavale), a once successful late-night comedy writer turned less-successful stand-up comedian, who struggles through the failure of his career and marriage. After moving in with his father, Stan (De Niro), Max and his ex-wife Jenna (Byrne) remain at odds on how to best raise their autistic son, Ezra (Fitzgerald).

Described by Deadline’s Valerie Complex as “a touching testament to the power of love, acceptance, and the challenges of parenthood,” the film was written by Tony Spiridakis, with William Horberg, Jon Kilik, Goldwyn and Spiridakis producing. Exec producers are Zhang Xin for Closer Media, Steve Sarowitz, Andrew Calof, Justin Baldoni, and Jamey Heath on behalf of Wayfarer Studios, Richard D. Lewis, Lois Robbins, Cannavale, and De Niro.

The deal was negotiated by Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy on behalf of Bleecker Street, with CAA Media Finance and Laura Rister on behalf of the filmmakers.

Bleecker is currently in theaters with the Meg Ryan-directed rom-com What Happens Later, starring Ryan and David Duchovny, and on December 17 will unspool Waitress: The Musical with Fathom Events. Other titles coming up for release by the company include the Stone Age thriller Out of Darkness, which debuts February 9 after making its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space station-set thriller I.S.S., which opens January 26 after world premiering in Tribeca.

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