Searchlight gets hands on 'Choke'

January 22, 2008 In a deal recalling the Sundance gold rush of '07, Fox Searchlight picked up North American and most worldwide territory rights to Clark Gregg's black comedy "Choke" for $5 million. Actor-director Gregg's feature debut, which he adapted from "Fight Club" author Chuck Palahniuk's novel, follows a sex addict (Sam Rockwell) who fakes choking in expensive restaurants to worm his way into the lives of their rich patrons. Searchlight and several other specialty divisions approached the sellers UTA, attorney Andrew Hurwitz and Wild Bunch immediately after the screening, but soon the Fox division had the inside track.

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