Lionsgate Will Get Cooties

Yes, genius title.  Surely no one will use those words in a similar way! Oh, wait, damn it!  Well, I’m not going to rewrite it now, that would require effort on my part.

As the Sundance Film Festival draws on people begin to anxiously await the answer to two questions: which films will receive critical praise? And which films will get picked up for distribution?  For one film, those questions have been answered.  When it premiered at Sundance this past Saturday, “Cooties” received some fairly positive praise from critics in attendance.  That kind of buzz usually grabs the attention of big studios and now, according to THR, Lionsgate is looking to pick up the distribution rights to the film.

The film is the directorial debut of Jonathan Millott and Cary Murnion and is being written by Leigh Whannell (“Insidious”) and Ian Brennan (“Glee”).  ”Cootie” stars Elijah Wood, Rainn Wilson, Alison Pill, Jack McBrayer, Leigh Whannell, Nasim Pedrad.

A mysterious virus hits an isolated elementary school and transforms the students into a feral swarm of mass savages; then an unlikely hero must lead a motley band of teachers in the fight of their lives.

There’s no word on when the film will see distribution, as it’s a bit too early in the process for those sort of deals, but it’s not entirely impossible that it could be seen some time this year.  Here’s hoping.