Maude Apatow Directorial Debut ‘Poetic License’ Lands at Sony Pictures Classics After Row K Debacle (EXCLUSIVE)
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Maude Apatow's directorial debut, "Poetic License", has been picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, bringing an end to months of uncertainty after its original distributor, Row K Entertainment, collapsed under unpaid bills and staff departures earlier this year. The deal marks a strong vote of confidence in Apatow's first feature, which had previously been left in limbo when Row K's difficulties, first reported by Variety in March, forced its release date to be shuffled and sales agency WME Independent to take the project back to market. Sony Pictures Classics, the studio behind "Call Me By Your Name", has acquired worldwide rights and will release the film in 2027.
The comedy-drama premiered to strongly positive reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival last September and stars Apatow's mother, Leslie Mann, alongside Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman. It follows a former therapist, Liz, who relocates for her husband's job and becomes caught between two inseparable best friends competing for her attention. Apatow directs from a script by Raffi Donatich, with Judd Apatow among the producers, and said in a statement that working with Sony Pictures Classics' leadership was "a dream come true".
- "Poetic License" secures new distributor Sony Pictures Classics after Row K collapse
- Maude Apatow's directorial debut stars Leslie Mann and Cooper Hoffman
- Film set for 2027 release following strong Toronto festival reception
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Poetic License is the first film directed by Maude Apatow, daughter of filmmaker Judd Apatow and actor Leslie Mann, who also stars in it alongside Cooper Hoffman and Andrew Barth Feldman. It is a comedy-drama about a former therapist who moves for her husband's career and finds herself drawn into the rivalry of two close friends, both vying for her attention. The film debuted to warm reviews at the Toronto International Film Festival last September, but its release stalled after original distributor Row K Entertainment ran into financial trouble and shed staff earlier this year.
Row K's collapse, first reported in March, left the film without a distributor and forced sales agency WME Independent to seek a new buyer. That search has ended with Sony Pictures Classics, a studio known for acclaimed independent and foreign-language films such as Call Me By Your Name, acquiring worldwide rights and setting a 2027 release.
The story matters both as a notable step in Apatow's transition from actor to director and as an example of the disruption that can follow when a distributor collapses mid-release, leaving finished films in limbo until a new backer steps in.
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