Pathe UK

LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions have bought U.S. distribution rights to “Judy,” the Judy Garland biopic starring Renee Zellweger. The distributors are planning for a 2019 release.

The film, directed by Rupert Goold, is set in 1968 in London with Garland performing in a sell-out run at the Talk of the Town. As she prepares for the show, she battles with management, charms musicians and reminisces with friends and adoring fans, her wit and warmth shine through. She also embarks on a courtship with Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

The cast that includes Finn Wittrock (“American Horror Story”), Jessie Buckley and Michael Gambon (“Harry Potter”). Principal photography concluded two weeks ago.

The acquisition was jointly announced Thursday by Mickey Liddell of LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions co-founders Howard Cohen & Eric d’Arbeloff.

“Judy Garland remains one of the quintessential legends of stage and screen and this chapter of her life is particularly riveting” said Cohen, d’Arbeloff and Liddell. “From the incredible early footage that we saw in Cannes, Renee delivers a remarkable performance. As the first feature film about Judy Garland, we believe ‘Judy’ will be event movie going for a broad audience and we are thrilled that our enthusiasm and ambition for the film made the difference in acquiring such a hotly pursued Cannes title. We could not be more excited to be partnering again to distribute this film in the United States.”

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The film is directed from a script by Tom Edge (“The Crown”) based on the stage play End of the Rainbow by Peter Quilter. It is a Pathé, BBC Films and Ingenious Media presentation of a Calamity Films Production. David Livingstone produces for Calamity. Executive producers include Cameron McCracken for Pathé, Rose Garnett for BBC Films and Andrea Scarso for Ingenious.

Pathé is distributing Judy in the U.K., France and Switzerland and has handled international sales throughout the rest of the world. LD and Roadside have previously partnered on “I Can Only Imagine,” “Albert Nobbs” and “Biutiful.”

In the negotiation with Pathe, LD Entertainment was represented by Liddell; Roadside Attractions by Cohen; and Pathe by McCracken.