Sony eyes 'Agora' for U.S. distribution

Interest growing after strong box office in Spain

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions Group is considering a bid for U.S. distribution rights to Alejandro Amenabar's ancient historical epic "Agora," starring Rachel Weisz.

"Agora's" boffo performance at the Spanish B.O. in recent weeks has sparked renewed interest in the film, which is being shopped domestically by John Sloss' Cinetic Media and overseas by Focus Features Intl.

Focus Intl. is repping the film at the American Film Market.

While "Agora" intrigued buyers when making its world premiere at Cannes in May, there was concern about the film's pricetag and how to effectively market the movie.

Set in the fourth century, the historical epic celebrates the much-celebrated astronomer and mathematician Hypatia, played by Weisz.

Amenabar's willingness to cut the film from 141 minutes to 120 minutes after Cannes has made the project more palatable to buyers. The film cost $70 million to produce.

Focus Intl. did ink a handful of territory deals for the English-language pic after Cannes, including one with 20th Century Fox Intl., which picked up distrib rights in Spain.

Fox also has contemplated buying domestic distrib rights.

Bowing in Spain on Oct. 9, "Agora" scored the highest opening of the year, and to date has cumed $25 million dollars. It's topped the box office there over the past four weekends, and even bested the debut of Michael Jackson topliner "This Is It," from Sony, during the Oct. 30-Nov. 1 frame.

Pre-AFM, other territories Focus Intl. had sold include France, Germany, Scandinavia and Greece. Rights have been sold for Taiwan and Thailand as well.