EXCLUSIVE: Freestyle Digital Media, the digital film distribution division of Byron Allen’s Entertainment Studios, has acquired the North American rights to the Dan Mirvish-directed Jules Feiffer-penned comedy Bernard & Huey, which premiered at Slamdance. They’ve scheduled the film to debut in May in ten North American theatrical markets and multiple platforms at the same time.
The film stars Jim Rash (the co-writer of The Descendants and co-director of The Way Way Back), and David Koechner (Anchorman) in the title leads, along with Sasha Alexander, Eka Darville, Richard Kind, Jake O’Connor, Lauren Miller Rogen, Nancy Travis, Bellamy Young, and Mae Whitman. Freestyle Digital Media Acquisitions Director Rachel Koehler negotiated the deal with Circus Road Films’ Glen Reynolds.Based on characters originated in Feiffer’s comic strip, the comedy is about two old friends who reconnect after 30 years apart. Theme is a timely story of two men behaving badly, and the strong women who rein them in. Feiffer is the Pulitzer Prize-winning syndicated cartoonist, author and satirist who scripted Carnal Knowledge and other pics.
“I was 27 when I thought up the character ‘Bernard’ for my new Village Voice cartoon, Feiffer said. “I was 28 when I met the prototype for ‘Huey’ at a Village party, and added him to the cast of the strip. Who would have thought Bernard, Huey, and I would last this long? I want to thank Dan for bringing about this funny and thoughtful generational-splicing geriatric reunion. The dance goes on.”
The film was produced by Bernie Stern and Dan Mirvish, and executive produced by John Feitelson, Will McCance, Christopher Schuman, Jeffry Powell, Rob Schwartz, Bobby Campbell, Todd Remis and co-exec produced Elisabeth Jereski and Dana Altman. The film is presented by Bugeater Films, Unfound Content and Rent My Brain Productions in association with Fusion for Peace Productions, Good Wizard Productions and Salem Street Entertainment.