MK2 Films Acquires Global Rights to Restored Classics by Haneke, Lee, and Dolan
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MK2 Films has acquired worldwide rights to a slate of restored auteur films, including works by Michael Haneke, Ang Lee, and Xavier Dolan. The acquisitions are part of a strategy to reposition classic films as global theatrical events. The company is also rolling out new 4K restorations and deepening its partnership with Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation.
Facts First
- MK2 Films acquired worldwide rights to Michael Haneke's 'Funny Games' (2007), excluding several key territories.
- The company secured global rights to newly restored versions of Ang Lee's 'Pushing Hands', 'The Wedding Banquet', and 'Eat Drink Man Woman'.
- Worldwide rights to Xavier Dolan's 'I Killed My Mother' and 'Heartbeats' were acquired from Nancy Grant.
- MK2 is reactivating Gregg Araki's 'Mysterious Skin' in the U.S. with a new 4K restoration that premiered at Sundance.
- The company deepened its partnership with The Film Foundation, gaining rights to ten newly restored World Cinema Project titles.
What Happened
MK2 Films has acquired worldwide distribution rights to a significant collection of restored films by acclaimed directors. The acquisitions include Michael Haneke's 2007 English-language remake of 'Funny Games', secured from Chris Coen Films Ltd., with worldwide rights excluding Germany, Italy, France, the U.S., the U.K., Spain, and Australia. MK2 also acquired worldwide rights to newly restored versions of Ang Lee's early films 'Pushing Hands', 'The Wedding Banquet', and 'Eat Drink Man Woman' from the Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute. Furthermore, MK2 obtained worldwide rights to Xavier Dolan's 'I Killed My Mother' and 'Heartbeats' from Nancy Grant. Separately, MK2 is rolling out new 4K restorations of films including Gregg Araki's 'Mysterious Skin', Lisa Cholodenko's 'High Art', Martha Coolidge's 'Not a Pretty Picture', and Ari Folman's 'Waltz With Bashir'.
Why this Matters to You
If you are a film enthusiast, you may have more opportunities to see classic and critically acclaimed movies in theaters. The strategy to reposition these auteur works as theatrical events could lead to special screenings or limited runs in cinemas near you. For fans of directors like Ang Lee, Michael Haneke, or Xavier Dolan, this could mean easier access to high-quality, restored versions of their earlier films that were previously harder to find. The partnership with The Film Foundation may also introduce you to restored cinematic works from around the world that you might not have seen otherwise.
What's Next
MK2 is likely to begin scheduling theatrical releases and events for these newly acquired and restored films. The company may announce specific screening dates and venues for titles like the new 4K restoration of 'Mysterious Skin', which already premiered at Sundance. The deepened partnership with The Film Foundation suggests more globally significant restorations could join MK2's portfolio in the future, potentially expanding the catalog of world cinema available for theatrical distribution.