Vertical Acquires North American Rights to Father Joe
The Kiefer Sutherland and Al Pacino crime drama, premiered at Venice, is slated for a 2027 wide theatrical release.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Film — General
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Vertical has acquired North American rights to Father Joe, directed by Barthélémy Grossmann and starring Kiefer Sutherland as a priest. The film premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival in September, where reviews were mixed.
Why it matters
The acquisition secures a North American release for a film with a prominent cast and a Venice premiere. Its planned 2027 wide theatrical release gives audiences in the United States a path to see the film on the big screen.
Vertical's Dracula adaptation performed solidly at the box office this year, though no figures for Father Joe were reported. The acquisition price and any box office projections for the title remain undisclosed.
The players
Vertical
Vertical is an independent film distributor that acquired the North American rights to Father Joe.
Kiefer Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is an American actor known for the television series 24 who stars as the title character.
Al Pacino
Al Pacino is an American actor and Academy Award winner who plays the crime boss in Father Joe.
The details
In Father Joe, Sutherland plays a priest who dismantles the local drug trade at night with firepower and by dosing dealers with a poison whose antidote is dispensed at Sunday mass. Al Pacino plays a crime boss, and Ever Anderson plays a young woman the priest takes under his protection.
Timeline
September 2026: Father Joe premieres out of competition at the Venice Film Festival.
2027: Father Joe is planned for a wide theatrical release.
Industry Dynamics
Vertical's solid 2026 box office performance with its Dracula adaptation suggests the distributor is building momentum in genre-driven titles. The Father Joe deal extends that strategy, with a wide release planned for 2027.
Father Joe is planned for a wide theatrical release in 2027, which would make it available in U.S. cinemas. The release date and any streaming window have not been specified.
The takeaway
Vertical's acquisition of Father Joe shows how distributors are securing mid-budget titles with recognizable stars ahead of their theatrical releases. Viewers should watch for the 2027 release date and distribution details.
What happens next
Father Joe is planned for a wide theatrical release in 2027, with a specific date to be announced.
Further reading
For more on the film industry's distribution deals, see Film — General.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Movieweb.
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