A24 Acquires Worldwide Rights to Jordan Firstman’s Directorial Debut Club Kid in High-Eight-Figure Deal

The sale, negotiated at the Cannes Film Festival, marks the first major acquisition of the 2025 market.

A24 has acquired worldwide rights to Jordan Firstman’s directorial debut, Club Kid, following a competitive bidding process at the Cannes Film Festival. The deal was reported to have closed in the high-eight-figure range.

Sale Details

The sale was negotiated by UTA Independent Film Group on behalf of the filmmaking team, with international assistance from Charades.

Multiple distributors expressed interest, including Mubi, Focus Features, Searchlight Pictures, A24, and Netflix. Christian Parkes’ Clockwork (a Warner Bros. indie label) was engaged in the process but later withdrew. Teddy Schwarzman’s Black Bear was also reported to be interested.

A24 secured the worldwide rights on the morning after the film’s premiere, making it the first major sale at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival.

Film Synopsis

Club Kid follows a Manhattan club promoter who, after a decade of partying, is confronted by a 10-year-old son he never knew existed.

The protagonist must choose between embracing fatherhood or continuing his established lifestyle.

Jordan Firstman stars in the lead role. The cast includes Cara Delevingne, Reggie Absolom, Diego Calva, and Eldar Isgandarov. The film was shot on 35mm by cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra.

Production and Financing

Topic Studios financed and produced the project. Stay Gold served as co-financier.

Producers include Oscar winner Alex Coco (Anora), Michael Bloom, Galen Core, and Ryan Heller. Executive producers include Jordan Firstman, Ian Stratford, Charles Croft, Jasmine Daghighian, Olmo Schnabel, and Daniela Taplin.

Festival Reception

Club Kid premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday.

The screening was followed by a seven-minute ovation.

The film received positive responses from audiences and critics, and the acquisition process saw multiple studios bidding, with the price increasing after the premiere.

Market Context

The sale occurred in a festival market noted for lacking major Hollywood star power or blockbuster titles.

In addition to the Club Kid acquisition, Amazon secured the thriller Pumping Black earlier that morning.