Fox Searchlight has acquired the North American rights to “A United Kingdom” starring David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike , presidents Stephen Gilula and Nancy Utley announced Friday.
The film, which premiered at this month’s Toronto International Film Festival, was directed by Amma Asante and written by Guy Hibbert. Searchlight has scheduled a release for Feb. 17, 2017.
“A United Kingdom” is the true story about the forbidden love of King Seretse Khama of Botswana (Oyelowo) and Ruth Williams (Pike), a white woman from London. Their marriage caused an international uproar because at the time, apartheid was just being introduced in South Africa.
See Video: David Oyelowo, Rosamund Pike's Interracial Marriage Defies an Empire in 'A United Kingdom' Trailer
“We welcome Amma Asante back to Searchlight with open arms and couldn’t be more delighted to be entrusted with her beautiful film. This moving love story spans continents while also being intimate and specific, anchored by the powerful performances of David Oyelowo and Rosamund Pike ,” said Utley and Gilula.
Oyelowo added, “Having had a phenomenal experience with Fox Searchlight on the ‘The Last King of Scotland,’ I’m elated to be back in business with them on a very different, but equally powerful African story.”
Also Read: Rosamund Pike Joins Jon Hamm in Tony Gilroy's 'High Wire Act'
The film is produced by Richard McCallum, Oyelowo, Brunson Green, Peter Heslop, Justin Moore-Lewy and Charlie Mason. The film was financed and produced by Pathé, BBC Films, the BFI and Ingenious Media.
The deal was brokered by Fox Searchlight’s Executive Vice President of Business Affairs Megan O’Brien and Senior Vice President of Acquisitions & Co-Productions Ray Strache, and by Pathe UK’s Managing Director Cameron McCracken and Head of International Sales Muriel Sauzay.
77 Eye-Popping Portraits From TheWrap's Toronto Film Festival Studio (Exclusive Photos)
Actor Gael García Bernal, "Neruda"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Gael García Bernal and Luis Gnecco, "Neruda"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Luis Gnecco, "Neruda"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Pablo Larraín and actor Gael García Bernal, "Neruda"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Holly Hunter , "Strange Weather"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Rami Malek, "Buster's Mal Heart"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Sarah Adina Smith and actor Rami Malek, "Buster's Mal Heart"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Sarah Adina Smith, "Buster's Mal Heart"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Ben Younger and actors Miles Teller and Aaron Eckhart , "Bleed for This"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Hisham Fageeh, "Barakah Meets Barakah"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Fatima Al Banawi, "Barakah Meets Barakah"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Mahmoud Sabbagh and Actors Hisham Fageeh and Fatima Al Banawi, "Barakah Meets Barakah"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Mahmoud Sabbagh, "Barakah Meets Barakah"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Kenneth Lonergan, "Manchester by the Sea"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Angela Sarafyan, "The Promise"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Shohreh Aghdashloo , "The Promise"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Marwan Kenzari, "The Promise"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jarkko Lahti and Director Juho Kuosmanen, "The Happiest Day in the Life of Ali Maki"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Sônia Braga, "Aquarius"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Kleber Mendonça Filho and actress Sônia Braga, "Aquarius"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Ryan Gosling and director Damien Chazelle , "La La Land"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Damien Chazelle , "La La Land"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Riley Keough , "American Honey"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Sasha Lane, "American Honey"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Raymond Coalson, Sasha Lane, Riley Keough and McCaul Lombardi "American Honey"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Morgan Spurlock , "Rats"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Morgan Spurlock and Producer "Rats"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Producer Jeremy Chilnick, "Rats"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Chan-Wook Park, "The Handmaiden"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Adam Leon and actors Grace Van Patten, Michal Vondel and Callum Turner, "Tramps"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Grace Van Patten, "Tramps"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Callum Turner, "Tramps"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Michal Vondel, "Tramps"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Adam Leon, "Tramps"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Claude Barras, "My Life As A Zucchini"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director and actor Nick Cannon , "King of the Dancehall"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Natalie Portman , "Planetarium" and "Jackie"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Natalie Portman , "Planetarium" and "Jackie"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Lily-Rose Depp, "Planetarium"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Emmanuel Salinger, "Planetarium"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Rebecca Zlotowski, "Planetarium"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Rebecca Zlotowski with actors Natalie Portman , Emmanuel Salinger and Lily-Rose Depp, "Planetarium"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jeffrey Tambor , "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Gaby Hoffman, "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor Jay Duplass , "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Amy Landecker , "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Kathryn Hahn , "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Creator Jill Soloway , "Transparent"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Isabelle Huppert and director Mia Hansen-Løve, "Things to Come"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Isabelle Huppert, "Things to Come"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director-producer Fisher Stevens, "Before the Flood"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor and director Ewan McGregor , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Jennifer Connelly , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Uzo Aduba, "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Uzo Aduba, "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Dakota Fanning , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Dakota Fanning , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Producers Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi , "American Pastoral"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actress Fan BingBing and Director Xiaogang Feng, "I Am Not Madame Bovary"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Xiaogang Feng and actress Fan Bingbing , "I Am Not Madame Bovary"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actors Guo Tao, Dong Chengpeng, director Xiaogang Feng and actress Fan Bingbing , "I Am Not Madame Bovary"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Oliver Stone , "Snowden"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor David Oyelowo , "United Kingdom"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Actor David Oyelowo , "United Kingdom"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Amma Asante , "United Kingdom"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Director Amma Asante , "United Kingdom"
Photographed by Geneviève Caron (FH Studio) for TheWrap at The Thompson Toronto
Previous Slide Next Slide
Toronto 2016: Ryan Gosling, David Oyelowo, Miles Teller and Natalie Portman are among the stars who stopped by TheWrap’s studio at The Thompson Toronto
