Alice Through the Looking Glass star Sacha Baron Cohen has agreed terms to headline Klown, an English-language remake of the cult Danish comedy of the same name.
Screen Daily has the scoop, revealing that Annapurna landed rights to the modern redo after an intense bidding war with rival studios. Four By Two, the production banner of Cohen and Todd Schulman, will help foster the remake, and have recruited Scott Stuber to executive produce. Landing US distribution rights will now take precedent.
First released six years ago, Klown stands as the highest-grossing film in Danish history. Directed by Mikkel Norgaard – and produced by the great Lars Von Trier – the pic follows a man trying to prove his worth as a father-to-be by taking his pregnant girlfriend’s 12-year-old nephew on a weekend canoe trip with his best friend. It even spawned a sequel called Klown Forever, one which starred Sacha Baron Cohen’s wife Isla Fisher, and moved the story to Los Angeles.
It’s still early days on this one, but considering that Cohen and co. plan to shop their Klown remake at the ongoing AFM (American Film Market & Conferences), the modern overhaul could come together sooner rather than later.
