Lionsgate Takes North American and UK Rights to Alma Har'el's Wet

Lionsgate has acquired the North American and UK distribution rights to Wet, according to Deadline. Distribution rights give a studio the right to release a film in cinemas and on home screens in a given territory. Here, North America means the United States and Canada.

The film is written and directed by Alma Har'el, who co-wrote the screenplay with Christian Stangeby. It comes from Fifth Season and 193, a Legendary Company. Christopher Leggett and Riva Marker are producing for Linden Entertainment, alongside Har'el and the two production companies.

The cast is headed by Connor Storrie, Rebecca Ferguson, Odessa A'zion and Javier Bardem. Rosalia, the singer who goes by one name, is also in the cast, along with Lukas Haas. Christopher Slager and Graham Taylor are executive producers for Fifth Season. Patrick Wachsberger and Ashley Stern are executive producing for 193.

Filming is scheduled to begin in the Dominican Republic in 2027. That gives the project roughly a year between now and the start of the shoot, which is typical for films at this stage of development.

For a studio, a deal like this is a way to secure a film before it is finished, so the company can plan its release in advance. Lionsgate will hold the rights in North America and the UK, which means it will decide how the film is released in those two markets. Other territories are not covered by this announcement.

Lionsgate has a track record of picking up films for these two markets, and this deal adds another title to that list. For fans of Har'el, whose earlier work has been screened at festivals, this is the first sign of how her new film will reach audiences in English-speaking territories. Anyone following the film from here will be watching for the start of production next year, and for the release date that follows.