A24 Acquires Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer,’ Starring Daniel Craig

A24 has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to Queer, the new film directed by Luca Guadagnino and starring Daniel Craig.

The announcement comes just ahead of the movie’s world premiere at the 81st Venice Film Festival. Apart from Craig, the film features a stellar cast including Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Andra Ursuta, Michael Borremans, and David Lowery.

Queer, adapted from William S. Burroughs’s novel of the same name, is set in 1950s Mexico City. The film follows William Lee, an American ex-pat in his late 40s, leading a solitary life within a small American community. Things take a new turn for William when a young man named Eugene Allerton arrives in town, allowing William to form a meaningful connection for the first time.

“Queer is a labor of love, and we could not be more excited that our film has found a home with a studio as daring, vital, and trail-blazing as A24,” Craig and Guadagnino said in a joint statement. “It is our deep honor to finally bring Burroughs’ legendary novel to life on screen for the first time, and we feel immense gratitude and excitement to be able to present it alongside our treasured collaborators. We could not ask for better partners on this journey.”

The screenplay for Queer was penned by Justin Kuritzkes, who previously worked with Guadagnino on the Zendaya-led Challengers.

The film’s production includes Fremantle, Fremantle North America, Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment (a Fremantle Group Company), and Luca Guadagnino for his Frenesy Film Company. Collaboration also comes from Cinecitta and Frame by Frame. The financing for the film was secured by Fremantle Group.

CAA Media Finance played a crucial role in brokering the deal.

Queer is slated for release later this year.

Source: A24