Joss Whedon's MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Picked Up for Distribution by Lionsgate

Filmed in just 12 days entirely on location in exotic Santa Monica, the film features a stellar cast of beloved (or soon to be beloved) actors – some of them veterans of Shakespearean theater, some completely new to the form.

Much Ado About Nothing, a modern version of Shakespeare’s classic comedy adapted and directed by Joss Whedon (The Avengers, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog), is the first feature from Bellwether, a micro-studio created by Whedon and Kai Cole for the production of small, independent narratives for all media, embracing a DIY ethos and newer technologies for, in this particular case, a somewhat older story.

After making it's premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, Lionsgate Entertainment has acquired the North American distribution rights to the film. Deadline reports that Lionsgate's sister company Roadside Attractions is also involved with the deal. Whedon had this to say about the deal:

"I’m thrilled to be working with my cronies at Lionsgate again, and with The Roadside team. That they all embrace a Shakespearean romance with the same enthusiasm they had for Cabin in the Woods shows that they’re exactly the mad fools we want to be partying – I mean working – with."

Shot in black and white by Jay Hunter (Paperheart), the film stars Amy Acker (The Cabin in the Woods) and Alexis Denisof (How I Met Your Mother) as Beatrice and Benedick, the world’s least likely lovers headed for their inevitable tumble into love. As Joss Whedon puts it: “The text is to me a deconstruction of the idea of love, which is ironic, since the entire production is a love letter – to the text, to the cast, even to the house it’s shot in.” The supporting cast includes Nathan Fillion Castle) as Dogberry, Clark Gregg (The Avengers) as Leonato, Fran Kranz (The Cabin in the Woods) as Claudio and Reed Diamond (Moneyball) as Don Pedro.

At this time there is no theatrical release date scheduled for the film; you can read our review from the Toronto International Film Festival HERE.