That didn't take long. Just a few weeks after winning the Midnight Feature Audience Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival, Joe Cornish's action/sci-fi/comedy Attack the Block has found a distributor.

According to Deadline, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has picked up the U.S. rights to Attack the Block, and Screen Gems will release the film. The movie, which was produced by Nira Park and James Wilson (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz), has wowed audiences at early screenings with its unique blend of action, humor, and smarts.

From a business perspective, snapping up the rights to Attack the Block seems like a no-brainer. Here in the blogosphere, a lot of movies can be called "buzz worthy," but few have been as universally admired as Attack the Block. I haven't been fortunate enough to see the film yet myself, but I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

For those unfamiliar with Attack the Block, here's a brief synopsis.

“From the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World comes Attack the Block, a fast, funny, frightening action adventure movie that pits a teen gang against an invasion of savage alien monsters. It turns a London housing estate into a sci-fi playground. A tower block into a fortress under siege. And teenage street kids into heroes. It’s inner city versus outer space.”

While that synopsis probably makes the movie sound cheesier than it really is, the first trailer for the film showed a ton of potential. The premise alone is interesting. What would happen if first contact happened between an alien and a gang of street smart kids? I wonder if a similar movie about an alien attack landing in a New York City or Los Angeles housing project would have been as effective?

We'll have more details on the release date for Attack the Block as they come out. In the meantime, let me say congrats to Joe Cornish for getting distribution on what might be one of the most widely anticipated sci-fi movies since District 9.

Source: Deadline