Following a heated auction, Hulu has acquired domestic rights to theSarah PaulsonthrillerRunfrom Lionsgate, which had planned to release the genre film on Mother’s Day.
The movie hails from directorAneesh Chagantyand his co-writerSev Ohanian, who also producedRunwithNatalie Qasabian. If those three names look familiar next to each other, it’s because that’s the team behind the 2018John ChothrillerSearching.
Runfinds Paulson playing an overprotective mother who has raised her wheelchair-bound daughter in total isolation, controlling her every move since birth. When the teenage girl discovers some unsettling truths, she’s thrust into the fight of her life.
NewcomerKiera Allenplays Paulson’s daughter, and her casting marks the first time an actual wheelchair user has played a lead in a major thriller since 1948’sThe Sign of the Ramaccording tothe Hollywood Reporter, which broke the news.
What’s interesting about this pick-up to me is that, judging by its trailer,Runobviously boasts some similarities to Hulu’s acclaimed limited seriesThe Act, which starredPatricia ArquetteasDee Dee Blanchard, who many mental health experts believe had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a mental disorder in which a parent or caretaker exaggerates, fabricates or induces illness in another person for attention and sympathy.
As Paulson herself says in the film’s trailer, “you need me.”
Now, it’s unclear when, exactly,Runwill debut on Hulu, but you’re able to safely expect this fall, and probably October, tool. Why? A couple reasons. First and foremost, if you’re Hulu, you don’t acquire a finished film like this to keep it on a shelf, and I imagine that’s the prospect the filmmakers were facing if they insisted on a theatrical release via Lionsgate, which would be crazy to put it out under the current circumstances. Instead, the studio reaps a quick profit without having to pay for a full marketing campaign, seeing as its theatrical release was still several months away when it was delayed at the start of the pandemic.
The second reason? Chaganty’s quote itself. Notice the year he mentions at the end.
“We’re super excited audiences will get to streamRunon Hulu, a platform that’s really committed to giving the movie the same, big splash that was always intended for it. Plus, the film is about a girl who’s been quarantined at home her whole life; watching it the same way should be a fitting experience in 2020."
Also,Runis a sort of thriller/horror movie, and that’s what people want to watch as Halloween approaches, especially when trick or treating may not be so popular this year. People want to get together – safely! – and watch scary movies together. Meanwhile Paulson is about to be the beneficiary of a major Netflix campaign as the star ofRyan Murphy’s new showRatched, and it would be wise of Hulu to draft on that publicity.
The other interesting thing about this announcement is that less than a week ago, Lionsgatedecided to releaseAntebellumon premium VOD, so I wonder if streamers simply weren’t interested in that title, or if the studio wanted to try two different tracks for these films.
Lionsgate will still releaseRunin theaters in select international marketing, but as far as American audiences are concerned, the film is now a Hulu original along with the comediesPalm SpringsstarringAndy Samberg,Big Time AdolescencestarringPete Davidson, and the upcoming comedyThe BingestarringVince Vaughn. To watch the trailer forRun, which is not to be confused with the recent HBO comedy of the same name,click here.
