Music video director Ninian Doff's feature debut BOYZ IN THE WOOD has been making the festival rounds since having its premiere at South by Southwest back in March, but now it's set to be released to a much wider audience, as Amazon Studios has acquired the worldwide rights to the film.
Scripted by Doff and produced by Tobey Maguire and Matthew Plouffe through their company Material Pictures, BOYZ IN THE WOOD is a horror comedy that stars popular comedian Eddie Izzard. Set "deep in the Scottish Highlands", the film is said to give "an irreverent take on generational politics, hip-hop loving farmers, and hallucinogenic rabbit shites."
I was sold as soon as I heard that the movie has both Izzard and hallucinogenic rabbit shites.
The story follows
four city boys trying to escape a mysterious huntsman (Izzard). The Scottish Highlands’ police unit trails behind, failing spectacularly to provide assistance.
Izzard's co-stars include Kate Dickie, Georgie Glen, James Cosmo and a up-and-comers Samuel Bottomley, Viraj Juneja, Rian Gordon and Lewis Gribben. The film features music by Danny Brown, Vince Staples, Run The Jewels, and Scottish producer S-Type.
Doff said the deal with Amazon is
genuinely a dream come true. Like all first films BOYZ IN THE WOOD was made with enormous passion and love by cast and crew (often in Scotland’s pouring rain) and it’s amazing to have Amazon bringing it to a global audience whom I hope will fall in love with our young cast and join the DJ Beatroot fan club the way we all did! I set out to make a film that you’d watch on a Friday night with your friends and laugh your ass off, but then wake up Saturday morning and decide to change the world. To have Amazon’s backing feels like what was once just a pipe dream suddenly became reality."
Julie Rapaport, Co-Head of Movies at Amazon Studios, says Doff is
an extremely talented storyteller whose distinct and dynamic voice immediately draws you in. BOYZ IN THE WOOD is a hysterical and riotous story that takes the audience on a fun and entertaining journey of adolescence and growing up. We’re excited to continue working with the producers of Material Pictures after our success with them on the recent release of BRITTANY RUNS A MARATHON."
BOYZ IN THE WOOD was also produced by Brian Coffey of Highland Midgie and Laura Tunstall of Nowhere. Izzard served as an executive producer alongside Material's Richard Weinberg; Tim Headington and Lia Buman of Tango Entertainment; Thomas Benski, Davud Karbassioun and Marisa Clifford of Pulse Films; and Mette-Marie Kongsved of Nowhere.
Amazon hasn't announced a release date for BOYZ IN THE WOOD, but we'll let you know when they do.