Codeblack Films Picks Up ‘The Inevitable Defeat Of Mister And Pete’Posted by Wilson Morales
May 16, 2013
Source: Deadline
Codeblack Films has picked up US distribution for The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete, which is about two abandoned and scared boys trying to survive in New York City.
Directed by George Tillman Jr, the film made its debut at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and stars 13-year-old Skylan Brooks as Mister and Ethan Dizon as 9-year-old Pete. Also featured in the film are Jennifer Hudson, Jeffrey Wright, Jordin Sparks, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Julito McCullum, and Anthony Mackie.
During a sweltering summer in New York City, 14-year-old Mister’s hard-living mother is apprehended by the police, leaving the boy and nine-year-old Pete alone to forage for food while dodging child protective services and the destructive scenarios of the Brooklyn projects. Faced with more than any child can be expected to bear, the resourceful Mister nevertheless feels he is an unstoppable force against seemingly unmovable obstacles. But what really keeps the pair in the survival game is much more Mister’s vulnerability than his larger-than-life attitude. The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete is a beautifully observed and tremendously moving film about salvation through friendship and the way transformation sometimes can happen just by holding on long enough.
Michael Starrbury wrote the movie. Jana Edelbaum, Rachel Cohen, and Bob Teitel produced with Alicia Keys, Susan Lewis, Clay Floren, Aimee Shieh, Julio Depietro, Keith Kjarval, Mary Vernieu, and Amy Nauiokas executive producing.
Codeblack Films was launched by Lionsgate in May 2012 to develop and distribute films and other media for the urban market. The deal with the Lionsgate division was negotiated by CAA on behalf of the filmmakers with Marc Danon, Lionsgate’s VP Acquisitions & Business Development, and Jean Chi, SVP Business & Legal Affairs.
