“McCarthy,” the upcoming biopic of Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy, has secured multiple international deals ahead of EFM.

HanWay Films, who are handling international sales, have closed a multi-territory deal with Vértice Cine (Italy, Spain, Portugal and Latin America) as well as The Jokers (France), Paradiso (Benelux), Icon (Australia and New Zealand), Tohokushinsha (Japan), Arna Media (CIS), Front Row (Middle East), Bir (Turkey), Cinemania (former Yugoslavia) and Shaw (Singapore).

CAA Media Finance is overseeing U.S sales.

“McCarthy” stars two-time Oscar winner Michael Shannon (“Nine Perfect Strangers”) as the Republican Senator whose name became a byword for political intolerance while “Game of Thrones’” Emilia Clarke plays his ambitious wife Jean Kerr.

Joining Shannon and Clarke are Dane DeHaan (“The Stranger”) as “ruthless young lawyer” Roy Cohn and Scoot McNairy (“Narcos: Mexico”) as Ray Kiermas, McCarthy’s trusted friend and colleague.

Václav Marhoul (“The Painted Bird”) directs from a screenplay by “The Hitman’s Bodyguard” scribe Tom O’Connor.

“[‘McCarthy’ is] the first feature film to look at the man behind McCarthyism,” reads the logline. “To understand what drove a lawyer and decorated former U.S. Marine down an unprecedented path of demagoguery, show-trials and venomous populism.”

In a presentation delivered to buyers this week during the virtual American Film Market, the stars of biopic “McCarthy,” Michael Shannon and Emilia Clarke, as well as its director Václav Marhoul and screenwriter Tom O’Connor, explained why the story of the venomous demagogue Joseph McCarthy had to be told now.

The film, now in development, follows McCarthy’s journey from being an ambitious Republican Senator to the most powerful and feared man in the U.S., culminating in a dramatic and absolute ruin.

“Given that McCarthy is such a darkly iconic figure in our history I was shocked that there had never been a film made about him,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor relied on research to tease out details of McCarthy’s origin story, such as his fascination with Adolf Hitler. “Being from Wisconsin, with a heavy German population, McCarthy had been given a copy of ‘Mein Kampf’ by one of his supporters, and came to really study Hitler’s techniques, particularly the big lie.”

Shannon, who plays McCarthy, said: “I had never stopped to consider the humanness of Jo McCarthy. I’d never even stopped to consider where he’d come from, how he was formed.”

He added: “I was fascinated to learn that he had been a boxer and that he had been in the marines. I think that physicality feeds into the strength of how he was able to convince people.

“Throughout the course of this story one thing that will dawn on the audience is how did a man this flawed and conflicted manage to pull the wool over so many people’s eyes.”

The film also shines a light of the part played by McCarthy’s politically ambitious wife, Jean Kerr. The role will be performed by Clarke, who said: “There have been parallels drawn between her and Lady Macbeth, and there is a calculated-ness to her that will allow her to be in a position of power at a time when no woman ever was going to get into that position of power.”

Clarke said of the screenplay: “It’s fascinating, and it’s nuanced, and it’s complicated, and it’s alarmingly familiar.”

She added: “I have to be a part of telling this story now so I can take some time and better understand what is it about politics that gets particular people to be incredibly persuasive.”

“We have so many Jo McCarthys around us at the moment,” said Marhoul.

Director Václav Marhoul (The Painted Bird) has tapped two-time Oscar nominee Michael Shannon (Nocturnal Animals) to star as controversial U.S. Senator Joseph McCarthy in the biopic we first revealed last year.

McCarthy will look at the man behind anti-communist doctrine McCarthyism to understand what drove a lawyer and decorated former U.S. Marine down an unprecedented path of demagoguery, show-trials and venomous populism.

Emmy nominee Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones), Dane DeHaan (The Place Beyond the Pines) and Scoot McNairy (C’mon C’mon) will star together with Shannon.

Clarke will play McCarthy’s politically ambitious wife Jean Kerr; DeHaan will be his ruthless young lawyer Roy Cohn. Pic is slated to go into production in the fall 2022 in Prague and the U.S.

Tom O’Connor (The Hitman’s Bodyguard franchise) wrote the original screenplay. The film is produced by Zach Studin together with O’Connor. Rick McCallum, producer of the three Star Wars films – The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith will executive-produce.

HanWay Films has come on board to handle international sales and distribution of the movie and will commence sales at next month’s virtual American Film Market. CAA Media Finance will oversee the U.S sale.

Marhoul previously played in Competition at the Venice Film Festival for drama The Painted Bird.

Heads of department include cinematographer Vladimír Smutný (The Painted Bird, Kolja) and Emmy award-winning production designer Ján Vlasák (The Painted Bird).