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Summary
As one of the man ’s frontmost main movie festivals , theSundance Film Festivalplays a pivotal role in insure that pocket-size films can rule wide dispersion . Since its inception , major distributer have used the festival as a cinematic marketplace , undertake to identify which departure have moneymaking voltage and bidding for their rights accordingly . As a result , many ofSundance ’s most famed movie releaseshave been trade for eye - watering amount of money .
Depending on the movie , the price for batten down dispersion rights at Sundance can deviate wildly . Smaller spill , such as documentaries and low - budget dramas , can be develop comparatively cheaply – especially if their charm is considered to be more corner . By contrast , motion-picture show with awards potential and widespread appeal can dominate astronomic sum , make the bidding operation fairly unpredictable . It ’s also the case that , asstreaming services like Netflixand Amazon Prime Video have become more prominent , there has been an increment in the amount spent at the festival . take all these factor into account , here are the 15 most expensive movies ever sold at Sundance .
Robert Redford helped find the Sundance Film Festival , and through the years , it has become the preeminent independent picture show festival in the U.S.
15The Big Sick (2017)
Amazon – $12m
A huge critical and commercial-grade hit , The Big Sickis a choice example of how paying over the betting odds at Sundance can pay dividends . Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon ’s touching comedy - drama tells a fictionalized version of the couple ’s material family relationship , a wooing that is turned upside down when Emily ( Zoe Kazan ) fall earnestly ill . The movie debut at Sundance Film Festival in January 2017 , spark a bidding war between several party . Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions , Searchlight Pictures Pictures , Focus Features , and Paramount Pictures were all interested before Amazon won the distribution rights .
On a budget of just $ 5 million , The Big Sickmade an impressive $ 56.4 million . The moving picture was met with critical acclaim , nock 98 % on review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes , and receivedan Academy Award nominationfor Best Original Screenplay . Despite its $ 12 million damage tag end , The Big Sickcan certainly be consider a worthy acquisition .
Sundance Year
2017
Acquired By
Amazon Studios
Purchased For
$ 12 million
Release Date
June 23 , 2017
unloose Method
Theatrical
Budget
$ 5 million
Box Office
$ 56.4 million
14Me And Earl And The Dying Girl (2015)
Searchlight – $12m
Despite winning critical recognition and being cordially receive at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival , Me and Earl and the Dying Girlwas perhaps not the sassy investiture Searchlight Pictures ab initio hoped . After a wild command war , the studio acquired distribution right for the motion picture ( which revolve about around a misfit adolescent boy who befriend a classmate dying of Crab ) for $ 12 m. However , despite winning the festival ’s much - vaunted Grand Jury Prize , Me and Earl and the DyingGirlmade just $ 9.1 million at the global box office and failed to garner any major awards recognition . Nevertheless , it was still positively received by critic , netting an 81 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes .
2015
Searchlight Pictures
June 12 , 2015
$ 8 million
$ 9.1 million
13Mudbound (2017)
Netflix – $12.5m
Offering a compelling admixture of historical brainwave and muscular dramatic event , Mudboundwas one of 2017Sundance ’s most notable release . Set in Mississippi in the aftermath of World War II , the flick explore the dissimilar experiences of two veteran along racial lines . Performances from Mary J. Blige and Carey Mulligan were met with plaudits , with Blige even receiving an Oscar nominating address for her role . Accordingly , Mudboundgenerated significant interest from distributer . beat out competition from A24 , Annapurna Pictures , and Entertainment Studios , Netflix won the rights for $ 12.5 m. Alongside a limited theatrical release , the flick arrived on the platform in November 2017 .
Netflix
$ 12.5 million
17 November , 2017
cyclosis and theatrical
$ 10 - 11.1 million
$ 117,344
12Late Night (2019)
Amazon – $13m
Despite enjoying a generally positive critical reception , the Mindy Kaling - scriptedLate Nightwas a major fiscal misstep for Amazon . Starring Kaling and Emma Thompson , the film follows the behind - the - scene action at a fancied belated - night idiot box show . The studio acquired the right wing for the movie for $ 13 million – a then - record amount for a movie with a U.S.-only dispersion . unluckily , this proved to be a pricy error .
Despite make $ 22.4 million against a $ 9.5 million budget and receive a 79 % rating on Rotten Tomatoes , estimates betoken thatLate Nightactually drop off Amazon around $ 40 million ( viaYahoo ) . Part of the reason for this is that , in addition to the $ 13 million spent on the right , Amazon spend a further $ 33 million on marketing cost . Despite a widespread release , the film failed to generate enough stake to make the expenditure deserving it .
2019
$ 13 million
June 7 , 2019
$ 9.5 million
$ 22.4 million
11Brittany Runs A Marathon (2019)
Amazon – $14m
Another major attainment for Amazon following the2019 Sundance Film Festival , comedy - dramaBrittany Runs A Marathonwas purchase for $ 14 million . LikeLate Night , the film failed to make much of an impact at the box berth . However , unlike the Mindy Kaling project , Brittany Runs A Marathonwas only ever mean for a limited theatrical going .
The flick , which follows a 28 - year - old charwoman inspired to take up marathon run on the advice of her doctor , made just $ 175,969 from five theaters in its curtain raising weekend . The total global box office ended up at $ 7.4 million , though it was primarily aimed at a streaming consultation . Together with the movie ’s " shoe string " budget ( viaVariety ) , this return meant thatBrittany Runs A Marathonwas by no means a entire calamity .
$ 14 million
August 23 , 2019
nameless
$ 7.4 million
10The Report (2019)
The last major Amazon acquisition of 2019,The Reportwas the most underwhelming of all the studios ' button at the box function . Unlike other expiration , the studio apartment did not disclose exact figure for its box role revenue . This ledIndieWireto estimate that the movie made just $ 150,000 in 84 theaters over its opening weekend , contributing to a total gross of $ 275,000 by the remnant of a two - calendar week theatrical run . This led the web site to conclude that " The response , so far as we can limit , are under the common … execution " ( viaIndieWire ) .
However , despite unsatisfying financials , The Reportwas not a complete failure for Amazon . The picture received several honored nomination , include a Best Supporting Actress Golden Globe nod for Annette Benning . In taking an uncompromising look at the CIA ’s exercise of torture post-9/11,The Reportwon decisive praise almost across the board , make a respectable 81 % onRotten Tomatoes .
November 15 , 2019
Theatrical ( limited )
$ 275,000 ( est . )
9Passing (2021)
Netflix – $15m
Based on the 1929 novel of the same name , Passingexplores a complicated chronicle of racism through the eyes of two light - skinned mordant cleaning woman . With an telling roll , including Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga , the pic won critical acclaim for its thoughtful and nuanced approach to the subject , scoring 90 % on Rotten Tomatoes and come through a slew of award from several spectacular bodies . It ’s little surprise , therefore , that it attracted serious interestingness after its Sundance debut .
The Sundance Festival is mean to be a jubilation of autonomous celluloid fashioning , but that does n’t mean it has n’t featured a few duds in the past .
Eventually , the studio paid $ 15 million for the picture , planning for a limited theatrical run out front of a streaming release . Although the movie hit picture palace in late October , it go far on Netflix barely two weeks later on November 10 . As a result , despite modified earnings at the box office , Passingwas certainly not a flop in the traditional sense .
2021
$ 15 million
October 27 , 2021
$ 10 million
strange .
8Cha Cha Real Smooth (2022)
Apple – $15m
After receive a nomination for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival , Cha Cha Real Smoothproved to be one of the most sought - after properties from the upshot . Directed by Cooper Raiff , the film follows a 22 - year - old professional company starter ( play by Raiff himself ) who strikes up a relationship with a 32 - class - honest-to-goodness mother ( Dakota Johnson ) . Like Raiff ’s previous projectSh*thouse , Cha Cha Real Smoothwas met with critical plaudits .
beat out competition from a host of rival studio , including Netflix , Sony Pictures , and Amazon , Apple TV+ secure distribution right for $ 15 million . Although the film received a special theatrical expiration , this coincide with its debut on the cyclosis platform . As a result , Cha Cha Real Smooth ’s loge office is no real measure of the movie ’s winner .
2022
Apple TV+
June 17 , 2022
cyclosis ( limited theatrical )
N / A
7Blinded By The Light (2019)
New Line Cinema – $15m
barrack by the substantial - life experience of diarist Sarfraz Manzoor , Blinded By The Lightis a alone coming - of - historic period drama combining British sensibilities with the timeless tunes of Bruce Springsteen . This eclectic blending prove to be a winning combination for critics , with the plastic film scoring 88 % on Rotten Tomatoes . However , despite this positivity , the film was n’t an unqualified success .
Purchased by New Line Cinema for $ 15 million , the moving picture did not have the guaranteed pullout of an effected cyclosis audience . As a termination , its total box berth of just $ 18.1 million was a material letdown . Some critics blamed the movie ’s carrying out on its similarity with fellow 2019 releaseYesterday , but whatever the cause , Blinded By The Lightwas an unfortunate bust .
New Line Cinema
14 August , 2019
$ 18.1 million
6It’s What’s Inside (2024)
Netflix – $17m
Despite have a cast of relative unknown region , Greg Jardin ’s scientific discipline - fiction revulsion thrillerIt ’s What ’s Insidewas the subject of a immense $ 17 million bid from Netflix . This form it the most expensive film from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival ( at the time of writing ) , with its near rival Jesse Eisenberg’sA Real Pain – acquired by Searchlight for $ 10 million . However , despite the Brobdingnagian sum , there may be solid logical thinking behind Netflix ’s decision .
While Sundance showcases the good of the sovereign film scenery , some great moving picture screened at the Festival end up being forgotten .
The film ’s gloomy budget and possible aggregated - marketplace appeal mean that a limited theatrical run could help to devote off some of the $ 17 million . Additionally , horror movies have a history of overperforming on a small-scale budget . For case , 2022’sTalk To Memade a thumping $ 92 million off just $ 4.5 million . While Netflix ’s vent architectural plan are currently unknown , It ’s What ’s Insidecould yet preserve this course .
2024
$ 17 million
