Copyright Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: RLJE Films, the genre label within the IFC Entertainment Group, has acquired U.S. distribution rights to buzzed about Venice and Toronto pic Motor City, we can reveal. The dialogue-free crime-revenge thriller with a toe-tapping soundtrack stars Alan Ritchson (Reacher), Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies), Pablo Schreiber (Halo), and Ben Foster (Hell Or High Water). The $30M indie pic is likely the biggest released through RLJE, which is lining up a theatrical run in 2026. We hear the deal landed in the $3-4M range. Pic takes place in 1970s Detroit, where a working-class romantic is framed by a ruthless gangster after falling for his girlfriend. After years in prison, he returns with only one mission: revenge. We revealed first footage during Venice. Directed by Potsy Ponciroli (Old Henry) from a screenplay by Chad St. John (London Has Fallen), the film features a propulsive, needle-drop score curated by Jack White. Pic is produced by Greg Silverman and Jon Berg for Stampede Ventures, Joshua Harris for Peachtree Media and Gramercy Park Media, and Cliff Roberts. The deal was negotiated by Mark Ward for RLJE Films and Range Select and WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers. Ponciroli commented: “We shot Motor City to be immersive, every frame, every sound, designed for a theater. It’s a love letter to Detroit, to 70s cinema, and to the kind of filmmaking you can feel. It’s the kind of movie that makes you happy that theaters still exist.“ “Motor City hits like a freight train – raw, stylish, and completely unforgettable,” said Chief Acquisitions Officer of RLJE Films Mark Ward. “Led by an extraordinary cast, Potsy Ponciroli has crafted an electric cinematic journey that demands to be seen on the big screen.”
