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UNIVERSAL PICTURES ACQUIRES WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS TO HBO FILMS’ UNTITLED ORIGINAL MUSICAL STARRING GRAMMY-WINNING ARTISTS OUTKAST
 Universal Pictures has acquired worldwide distribution rights to HBO Films’ untitled original motion picture musical starring multi-platinum and Grammy-winning LaFace/Zomba Label Group artists OutKast, it was announced today. OutKast’s André Benjamin and Antwan Patton both star in the film, which will feature new songs from the duo’s next album, which will be a soundtrack album. Bryan Barber, the award-winning director and longtime OutKast music video collaborator, makes his feature film directing debut on the film. The film’s soundtrack will feature all new songs by OutKast and will be released on LaFace/Zomba Label Group in the fourth quarter of 2005. Universal Pictures will wide release the film in 2006.
“Seeing a very rough cut of this film was an incredibly exciting experience,” announced Adam Fogelson, President, Universal Pictures Marketing and Eddie Egan, Co-President, Universal Pictures Marketing. “We very much wanted to be part of bringing this film to a wide audience, and we’re delighted to be partnering with HBO Films and Charles Roven.”
“André Benjamin and Antwan Patton are artists without parallel on the cultural landscape,” said HBO Films President Colin Callender. “Together with director Bryan Barber, their videos have taken the synthesis of music, cinema and style to a whole new dimension. We are proud and excited that they have chosen to work with HBO to bring their unique vision of an original musical to the screen, and we are delighted to be working with Universal Pictures—whose unbridled enthusiasm for the film promises to turn this into a major motion picture event.”
“It was a pleasure collaborating with Bryan Barber and OutKast in 2002, and I knew then that their talents would translate across all creative mediums. I am thrilled we at Mosaic were given the opportunity to work with them again and to help make this project a reality,” said producer Chuck Roven.
Set amidst the backdrop of a 1930s southern speakeasy, the film follows two characters, Percival (André Benjamin), the club’s piano player, and Rooster (Antwan Patton), the club’s lead performer and manager, through intersecting stories of love and ambition.
The as-yet-untitled film was shot on location in Wilmington, North Carolina and at Universal City, CA.
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