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Senator votes for 'Mandy'

Horror flick to see U.S. theaters in '08

By DAVE MCNARY

Senator U.S. will release 'All the Boys Love Mandy Lane,' a Weinstein Co. pickup at September's Toronto festm in early 2008.

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Senator U.S. has acquired domestic rights to Occupant Films' "All the Boys Love Mandy Lane" from the Weinstein Co. and set the horror project as its first U.S. theatrical release in early 2008 at more than 1,000 screens.

Deal pushes back the U.S. release from this weekend, as TWC had planned. The Weinstein Co. bought worldwide rights to "Mandy" at Toronto last September.

TWC's Glen Basner said the move should give "Mandy" a wider release than had been planned for the upcoming frame.

Directed by Jonathan Levine and written by Jacob Forman, "Mandy" stars Amber Heard as a high school student who accompanies five friends on a weekend trip only to see each eliminated by a mysterious killer. Cast includes Anson Mount, Michael Welch, Edwin Hodge, Whitney Able, Peyton Hayslip and Aaron Himelstein.

Occupant's Felipe Marino and Joe Neurauter produced with Chad Feehan, and Occupant's Keith Calder exec produced.

Senator already had acquired distribution from TWC for Germany after execs saw the movie at Toronto. TWC has sold "Mandy" to TF1 for France, Optimum for the U.K., Village Roadshow for Australia/New Zealand, EEAP for Eastern Europe, Moonlight for Benelux and Imagem for Latin America.

Senator recently completed production on Dennis Lee's "Fireflies in the Garden." It's in pre-production on Bret Easton Ellis' "The Informers."