Fred Kogel’s budding media powerhouse, backed by KKR but still without a name, has acquired “Hustlers” for Germany and Austria in an all-rights deal with STXfilms. The movie, starring Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu, will be released in Germany via Universum Film on Dec. 5.
The pic, about a group of enterprising strippers, premiered to strong reviews at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month and opened in the U.S. last Friday in the No. 2 spot as the best-performing new release, taking in $33.2 million in box office over its first weekend.
“Hustlers,” whose cast also includes Julia Stiles, Keke Palmer and Lili Reinhart, follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. “We’re looking for films that have the potential to inspire audiences,” Kogel said. “From our point of view, ‘Hustlers’ has all the prerequisites: The film is a gripping and unique mixture of humor, glamour and women’s power featuring outstanding actresses and a spectacular look.”
The film is inspired by an article published by New York magazine titled “The Hustlers at Scores,” written by Jessica Pressler. Lorene Scafaria wrote the screenplay and directed the movie. Lopez produces, along with Elaine Goldsmith Thomas, Jessica Elbaum, Benny Medina, Will Ferrell and Adam McKay.
“’Hustlers’ is the perfect film on which to forge our partnership with Fred and his new company,” said Adam Fogelson, chairman of STXfilms. “The film perfectly represents the kind of commercial, original and dynamic properties we champion at STX. With the wealth of distribution and marketing experience gathered across Fred’s new company, we have every confidence that our German partners will replicate the film’s success in their territories.”
Kogel’s company, backed by private equity firm KKR, emerged from the merger of Tele München Group, Universum Film, i&u TV and Wiedemann & Berg Film.
