RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE) has acquired all U.S. rights to the baseball drama THE PHENOM. Written and directed by Noah Buschel (The Missing Person, Glass Chin), the film stars Academy Award nominees Ethan Hawke (Boyhood, Training Day) and Paul Giamatti (Straight Outta Compton, Sideways) as well as Johnny Simmons (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) and Sophie Kennedy Clark (The Danish Girl). RLJE plans to release THE PHENOM in theaters and On Demand on June 24, 2016. The film will make its World Premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 17th. Mark Ward, RLJ Entertainment’s Chief Acquisitions Officer, made the announcement today.
“As an avid baseball fan, I was immediately drawn to this story but it is about much more than just the sport,” said Ward. “Ethan Hawke, Paul Giamatti and Johnny Simmons bring to the life the struggles within the sport of getting to the top and the cost you sometimes have to pay to get there.”
In THE PHENOM, when major-league rookie pitcher Hopper Gibson (Johnny Simmons) can’t find the plate, he’s sent down to the minor leagues and begins sessions with an unorthodox sports psychologist (Paul Giamatti). In the process, hidden conflicts with his overbearing father (Ethan Hawke) are brought to light.
THE PHENOM was produced by Antonia Bogdanovich (Phantom Halo), Jeff Elliott (Blunt Force Trauma), Kim Jose (Precious) and Jeff Rice (Lone Survivor).
Jess De Leo, Senior Vice President of Legal and Business Affairs for RLJ Entertainment along with Ward negotiated the deal with William Morris Endeavor on behalf of the filmmakers.
