Magnolia Pictures Acquires Sundance Documentary ‘Folktales' About Arctic Norwegian Teens & Their Sled Dogs
The acquisition puts the filmmaking duo behind the Oscar-nominated Jesus Camp back in business with Magnolia.
More from Deadline
Magnolia Takes Global Rights To Sundance-Winning Thriller 'Plainclothes'
Magnolia Pictures Acquires Sci-Fi Thriller 'The Assessment' Starring Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Olsen & Himesh Patel
Magnolia Pictures Acquires Action-Thriller '40 Acres' Starring Danielle Deadwyler
The new documentary, which had its world premiere in January at the Sundance Film Festival, follows teenagers who converge at a traditional folk high school in Arctic Norway during a gap year where they must rely on only themselves, one another and a loyal pack of sled dogs as they all grow in unexpected directions. In Norse mythology, the three 'Norns' are powerful deities who weave the threads of fate and shape humans' futures. Today, Pasvik Folk High School in northern Norway aims to produce a similar life-changing effect on its students. Guided by patient teachers and a yard full of heroic Alaskan huskies, the teens discover their own potential and develop deep relationships with the land, animals and humans around them.
'Twenty years after the seminal Jesus Camp, we're ecstatic to welcome Heidi & Rachel back home, at the height of their powers, with this visually thrilling exploration of the transformative bond between humans, dogs, and nature,' said Magnolia Pictures co-CEOs Eamonn Bowles and Dori Begley.
'Every single frame of Folktales was designed with the big screen in mind. It's a movie best experienced with others, so having the rare opportunity to show it to the public the way it was truly intended to be seen is an absolute thrill for both of us,' said Ewing and Grady. 'Folktales is a film about growing up, a love letter to that sacred in-between time where the wild can teach us what it means to be human. We hope audiences feel the magic we discovered while shooting in this wondrously remote corner of the world.'
Folktales is co-produced by Kari Anne Moe and Gudmundur Gunnarsson. Executive producers are Lisa Schejola Akin, Jeffrey Akin, Maiken Baird, Michael Bloom, Christine Connor, Ian Darling, Ryan Heller, Kelsey Koenig, Mary Lisio, Jenny Raskin, Regina K. Scully and Ian Stratford. The doc is a Loki Films, Impact Partners, Topic Studios and Fifth Season production.
The deal was negotiated by Magnolia Pictures SVP Acquisitions John Von Thaden, with WME and Hayden Goldblat at FKKS on behalf of the filmmakers.
Best of Deadline
'Ginny & Georgia' Season 3: Everything We Know So Far
Everything We Know About The 'Reminders of Him' Movie So Far
Everything We Know About 'The Phoenician Scheme' So Far
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
How did 'Fantastic Four: First Steps' compare to 'Superman' at the box office?
Who would win in a box-office smackdown between Superman and the Fantastic Four? Superhero movie fans just got the answer − although it's so close that it's practically a draw. Marvel's "The Fantastic Four: First Steps," starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach, opened to an impressive $118 million at the domestic box office this weekend, according to estimates released by Comscore on Sunday, July 27. The anticipated numbers put the film's debut just slightly below that of DC's "Superman," with David Corenswet as the Man of Steel, which opened to $125 million at the North American box office earlier this month. Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Released just two weeks apart, "Fantastic Four" and "Superman" have a lot in common, as both are new interpretations of iconic superhero characters whose recent cinematic renditions were poorly received. The last Fantastic Four movie was the critically reviled 2015 bomb "Fantastic Four," which opened to just $25 million domestically. Superman, meanwhile, was coming off a series of movies from director Zack Snyder, whose darker vision for the character was divisive. The two movies were also similarly crucial for the future of their respective franchises. The stars of "Fantastic Four: First Steps" will return in "Avengers: Doomsday" (expected Dec. 18, 2026), a major event film for Marvel, meaning the group's debut movie performing poorly would have spelled trouble for Disney. The same could be said for DC, given that "Superman" is the first film in a relaunched cinematic universe that has numerous more entries on the way, including next summer's "Supergirl" (June 26, 2026), starring Milly Alcock. In the end, both Marvel and DC can breathe a sigh of relief. "Fantastic Four" and "Superman" not only each opened well at the box office, but also earned positive reviews from critics and the exact same A- grade from audiences polled by CinemaScore, a research firm that surveys moviegoers at theaters. Also breathing a sigh of relief? Movie theaters, which had a strong July between the pair of superhero blockbusters and "Jurassic World Rebirth" with its solid $148 million five-day holiday debut at the start of the month. But not even superheroes and dinosaurs were enough to steal the seasonal box-office crown from "Lilo & Stitch." After snagging a huge $146 million three-day debut in May, the Disney live-action remake still holds the title of biggest opening weekend of the summer, and it's the only Hollywood movie to pass $1 billion worldwide so far this year. "First Steps" is the first "Fantastic Four" film released as part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, after the characters were previously owned by 20th Century Fox. It's also Marvel's third movie of 2025, after "Captain America: Brave New World" and "Thunderbolts*," but first to open to more than $100 million domestically over three days.
Chicago Tribune
3 hours ago
- Chicago Tribune
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
LOS ANGELES — Marvel's first family has finally found box office gold. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' the first film about the superheroes made under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Co., earned $118 million in its first weekend in 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting. The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically. The box office success of 'First Steps' and 'Superman' means 'the whole notion of superhero fatigue, which has been talked about a lot, can I think be put to rest. I always say it's bad movie fatigue, not superhero fatigue,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore. 'The Fantastic Four' review: In a jet age dream of Manhattan, Marvel's world-savers take care of business'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh. The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace. Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats. The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts,' which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally. Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019. The 'Fantastic Four's' opening weekend results were a little less than some rival studio projections, Dergarabedian said. Nonetheless, the film is expected to carry movie theater earnings well into August. Holdovers dominated the top 10, but one other newcomer managed to make the chart. The dark romantic comedy 'Oh, Hi!' earned $1.1 million from 866 screens. 'Jurassic World Rebirth' landed in third place in its fourth weekend with $13 million, followed by 'F1' with $6.2 million. The Brad Pitt racing movie also passed $500 million globally. 'Smurfs' rounded out the top five with $5.4 million in its second weekend. The box office is currently up over 12% from last year. With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million. 2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million. 3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million. 4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million. 5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million. 6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million. 7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million. 8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million. 9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million. 10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million.
San Francisco Chronicle
4 hours ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Marvel's first family has finally found box office gold. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' the first film about the superheroes made under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Co., earned $118 million in its first weekend in 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting. The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically. 'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh. The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace. Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46% of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats. The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine," which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts," which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally. Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million. 2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million. 3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million. 4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million. 5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million. 6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million. 7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million. 8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million. 9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million. 10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million.
