In a move that serves to remind us that MGM is now primarily a distributor, the company has acquired the rights to Death at a Funeral, a dark comedy from independent production company Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, one of the indie groups that signed an early, non-exclusive distribution deal with MGM. Though MGM owns domestic rights, international sales remain with SKE, which will try to sell the film at Cannes.

The movie will be direct by Frank Oz, and "revolves around a dysfunctional Brit family as they gather to mourn the passing of their patriarch." Needless to say, what with the film being a comedy and all, things don't go as smoothly as planned at the funeral. Oz will have a pretty good cast on his hands when production begins, including Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Dinklage and Ewen Bremner, who you may remember as the homelier of the two Trainspotting Ewans (he was Spud).