Music Box nabs Davies' 'Deep Blue Sea'

LONDON -- In another Toronto deal, Music Box has acquired U.S. rights to Terence Davies' "The Deep Blue Sea," toplining Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston. The acquisition, which was closed prior to the pic's final public screening in Toronto, marks Music Box's first pickup of an English-language film. The distrib released the original "Dragon Tattoo" trilogy, which has collectively taken nearly $22 million at the U.S. box office. The Deep Blue Sea" was shopped by Blighty's Protagonist Pictures, whose CEO Ben Roberts negotiated the deal with Music Box's managing director Ed Arentz. Following the pic's world preem in Toronto, at least three other bidders were at the table in addition to Music Box. Adapted from the 1952 play by Terence Rattigan, it sees Weisz play the wife of a high court judge who leaves her husband to move in with a dashing young ex-RAF pilot, with whom she has fallen passionately in love. Simon Russell Beale also stars, while Sean O'Connor and Kate Ogborn produce. We and the audience who saw the film at its world premiere screening were entranced from the opening frames, and by the end there was an inescapable sense that we had witnessed a major work," said Arentz. The Deep Blue Sea" screens in competition at San Sebastian this week and is the closing night pic at the London Film Festival in October. Artificial Eye will release the pic in Blighty on Nov. 25. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

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