Green light for "Red Lights" deal

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Millennium Entertainment has acquired U.S. distribution rights to Sundance's "Red Lights," which was written and directed by Rodrigo Cortés, with a cast that includes Cillian Murphy, Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, and Elizabeth Olsen.

"Red Lights" is Cortés third film, following "The Contestant" and "Buried," which screened at Sundance in 2010. It's the story of a skeptical investigator, played by Weaver, who encounters Robert De Niro's character, a legendary blind psychic. Murphy plays Weaver's assistant, with Olsen as one of their students.On the red carpet before Friday's premiere, Weaver said she wasn't really a believer in the paranormal. "I actually find the world pretty miraculous without all of it," the actor told The Tribune. "I kind of agreed with my character about that. On the other hand, there are certainly things that happen that you can't explain.""We came to Sundance looking for high-concept, quality commercial fare, and Cortés' paranormal thriller – anchored by memorable performances from an exceptional cast – fully delivers," said Millennium Entertainment CEO Bill Lee.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the deal was for just under $4 million, for a movie that cost between $15 and $17 million to produce.

— Ellen Fagg Weist