A24 acquires ‘Friendship’ starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd

Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd in a still from ‘Friendship’
| Photo Credit: A24

A24 has acquired the rights to Friendship, a comedy starring Tim Robinson and Paul Rudd, following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) as part of the Midnight Madness program. Directed and written by Andrew DeYoung in his feature debut, Friendship blends cringe comedy in a style reminiscent of Robinson’s work in I Think You Should Leave.

The film follows Robinson as a suburban dad who becomes obsessively fixated on forming a bond with his charming neighbor, played by Rudd. The cast also includes Kate Mara, Jack Dylan Grazer, Josh Segarra, and Billy Bryk.

This marks Robinson’s first leading role in a feature film. Rudd, a seasoned comedy actor, is known for his comic roles in Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Clueless, and I Love You, Man. DeYoung has a background in directing TV episodes for shows such as The Other Two, Pen15, High Fidelity, and Our Flag Means Death.

A24’s acquisition of Friendship adds to its growing portfolio of films picked up during this year’s festival circuit. The studio also secured The Brutalist, a historical epic directed by Brady Corbet and starring Adrien Brody and Felicity Jones, as well as Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, a romantic drama featuring Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey.