“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.”
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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). Continue reading  »