James R | On 15, Jun 2017

It’s been several months since Sundance 2017 closed its doors, but Netflix is still snapping up indie films from the Utah festival as if it only kicked off last week.

The streaming giant, along with Amazon Studios, dominated trade activity at this year’s event, acquiring Icarus, Chasing Coral, Joshua: Teenager vs. Superpower, I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore, Casting JonBenet, The Mars Generation, To the Bone, Strong Island and Mudbound.

Now, it’s picked up one more: Drake Doremus’ Newness.

Doremus, who has made a name for himself with such indie gems as Like Crazy (winner of 2011’s Sundance Grand Jury Prize) and Breathe In, premiered his new romantic drama at Sundance. The movie stars Nicholas Hoult, Laia Costa, Danny Huston, Courtney Easton, Matthew Gray Gubler, Albert Hammond Jr. and Jessica Henwick.

Set in modern Los Angeles, the film follows two millennials navigating a social media–driven hookup culture, as they begin a relationship that pushes both emotional and physical boundaries. The film is co-written by Doremus and Ben York Jones, who also co-wrote Like Crazy.

The film was produced by Scott Free and presented by Lost City, with Doremus, Michael Pruss, Robert George, John Finemore, Michael Schaefer and Ben York Jones on producing duties and Ridley Scott, James Hoppe, Mason Novick, Elizabeth Grave, Shea Kammer and Nicholas Hoult on board as executive producers.

Deadline, which broke the news of the acquisition, pegs the deal at seven figures. There is no word yet on a release date.

Photo: Sundance

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