McGregor- Watts

Summit nabs rights to film

'Impossible' is set during 2004 tsunami that hit Thailand

By Gregg Kilday

May 2, 2010, 06:23 PM ET Summit has added a second Naomi Watts feature to its release slate, with the announcement that it has picked up most worldwide rights to "The Impossible," in which Watts will co-star with Ewan McGregor.

Last week, Summit also acquired North American rights, along with several other territories, to Doug Liman's "Fair Game," in which Watts stars as outed CIA undercover operative Valerie Plame Wilson opposite Sean Penn. While "Game" is completed and will debut at the Festival de Cannes, "Impossible," which Juan Antonio Bayona is directing from a script by Sergio G. Sanchez, begins filming in August in Alicante, Spain before moving to Thailand in October. It is based on a true story that took place during the 2004 tsunami that hit the coast of Thailand. It is being produced by Belen Atienza, Lopez Lavigne and Alvaro Augustin for Spanish production companies Apaches Entertainment and Telecino Cinema, which are coproducing. Bayona and Sanchez previously collaborated on "The Orphanage," which Bayona directed, Sanchez wrote and Atienza and Augustin executive produced. Summit has acquired worldwide rights to "The Impossible," with the exception of Spain, where Warners will distribute. Summit International will begin selling rights to the film outside of North America at Cannes. David Garrett, Summer International president, and Michael Schaefer, Summit senior vp acquisitions and co-productions, will oversee the project for the company. Watts is repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment. McGregor is repped by UTA, which also reps Apaches, and U.K. agent Lindy King of United Agents. Bayona is represented by WME.