Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Papillon, the Michael Noer-directed remake that stars Charlie Hunnam and Rami Malek. The pic had its world premiere this fall at the Toronto Film Festival.
The plot centers on “Papillon” Charrière (Hunnam), a safecracker from the Parisian underworld who is framed for murder and condemned to life in the notorious penal colony on Devil’s Island. Determined to regain his freedom, Papillon forms an unlikely alliance with quirky convicted counterfeiter Louis Dega (Malek), who in exchange for protection agrees to finance Papillon’s escape.
Hunnam is in the role played by Steve McQueen and Malek is in Dustin Hoffman’s role from the 1973 original. The redo is based on Henri Charriere’s books Papillon and Banco, with Joey McFarland, David Koplan, Ram Bergman and Roger Corbi producers.
Bleecker Street’s Kent Sanderson and Avy Eschenasy made the deal with CAA on behalf of the filmmakers.