A24 Teams With Brad Pitt’s Plan B for ‘Moonlight’

Three-year-old A24 is partnering with Brad Pitt’s Plan B and Adele Romanski to produce and finance coming-of-age story “Moonlight.”

Barry Jenkins will direct from his own his script, based on the Tarell McCraney play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.” The movie is set in Miami during the war on drugs.

A24 is financing and owns worldwide rights with filming to take place in Miami in the fall. Jenkins directed 2009’s “Medicine for Melancholy.”

A24 announced in June that it was producing real-estate drama “The Liar’s Ball” with director J.C. Chandor, Neal Dodson and Anna Gerb. A24’s top box office performers have been “Ex Machina,” which has crossed $25 million domestically, and James Franco’s “Spring Breakers,” which grossed $14 million in 2013.

It also teamed with DirecTV to release release movies exclusively on the satellite TV provider before they hit theaters, including Ryan Reynolds’ “Mississippi Grind”; Charlize Theron’s thriller “Dark Places”; the Aubrey Plaza-starrer “Life After Beth”; Atom Egoyan’s “Captive,” starring Reynolds; and Julius Avery’s directorial debut, “Son of a Gun,” with Ewan McGregor and Brenton Thwaites.

“We are extremely proud to be involved with this heartfelt, groundbreaking film,” said A24 in a statement. “The opportunity to work with Barry, one of the most talented and daring contemporary directors, and Plan B, who consistently provide a home for filmmakers, is very exciting. We look forward to the collaboration.”

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