eOne confirmed on Saturday evening (8) what had been widely reported on Friday, namely that SPC has acquired the US and select territories on Stan & Ollie starring Steven Coogan and John C. Reilly, and has scheduled an awards-qualifying run in the US.

The distributor also picked up the film in Latin America, Eastern Europe, China and South Africa. eOne will distribute directly across its footprint in Canada, the UK, Australia and New Zealand, Spain, and Benelux. eOne’s Sierra/Affinity handled international sales on the film, with CAA Media Finance representing US rights. It will open in the UK on January 11, 2019.

Jon S. Baird directed Stan & Ollie, which will close the BFI London Film Festival on October 21, from a script by Jeff Pope about legendary comedy duo Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy’s triumphant farewell tour in the UK and Ireland, accompanied by their wives Lucille (Shirley Henderson) and Ida (Nina Arianda).

Producers are eOne, BBC Films and Faye Ward via her Fable Pictures banner. eOne and BBC Films financed the feature.

SPC also said it has picked up all rights from Dogwoof in North America, Middle East, South Africa, Scandinavia, Benelux, India and worldwide airlines to Maiden, by Alex Holmes, about Tracy Edwards skippered the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989.

The documentary from London-based New Black Films received its world premiere at TIFF this week.