Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, announces the theatrical release of the dark comic thriller Cheap Thrills in New York, Los Angeles, Austin, and additional topmarkets on Friday, March 21, 2014 with a platform release throughout Spring.

Cheap Thrills was acquired by Drafthouse Films, in partnership with Snoot Entertainment, following its world premiere at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival where it won the "Midnighters Audience Award." The directorial debut from E.L. Katz, Cheap Thrills, has been hailed as "a black comic masterpiece....brilliant and furious piece of filmmaking" (Drew McWeeny, HitFix) while First Showing says Cheap Thrills is "a dynamite charge of fun."

Cheap Thrills follows Craig (Pat Healy, Compliance), a struggling family man who loses his low-wage job and is threatened with eviction. In an effort to delay facing the music at home, he heads to a local bar and encounters an old friend (Ethan Embry, Empire Records). The two friends are roped into a round of drinks by a charismatic and obscenely wealthy stranger (David Koechner, Anchorman 2) along with his mysterious wife (Sara Paxton, The Inkeepers). The couple engages the two friends in a series of innocent dares in exchange for money over the course of the evening, with each challenge upping the ante in both reward and boundaries. It seems like easy and much needed money, but the couple's twisted sense of humor pushes just how far Craig and his friend are willing to go for money and cheap thrills.

"Cheap Thrills": Official Redband Trailer (Please note: you must log on to your youtube account and be 18 or over to view this trailer)

We kick off our coverage of this year's SXSW Festival with news that Drafthouse Films has acquired the dark comedy/thriller "Cheap Thrills" The film is the directorial debut for E.L. Katz and stars Pat Healy (Compliance), David Koechner (Anchorman 2), Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers), Ethan Embry (Empire Records). A VOD and theatrical release in a minimum of 20 markets is planned.

Press Release:

Drafthouse Films, the film distribution arm of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, in partnership with Snoot Entertainment, acquired US distribution rights to the twisted dark comedy thriller Cheap Thrills following its world premiere at the 2013 SXSW Film Festival. The directorial debut from E.L. Katz stars Pat Healy (Compliance) as a recently fired father facing eviction who agrees to take on an escalating series of insane challenges in exchange for cash payments from a rich couple with a twisted sense of humor. The film also stars David Koechner (Anchorman 2), Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers), Ethan Embry (Empire Records)and was penned by Trent Haaga (Deadgirl) and David Chirchirillo. A VOD and theatrical release in a minimum of 20 markets is planned.

The film debuted as part of SXSW's Midnight section where it received praise from critics and thrilled audiences with its unique blend of social morality play, visceral brutality and razor sharp wit. "Class warfare comes perversely home in Cheap Thrills," says Peter Martin of Twitch Film adding that it is "a fiendish, fierce, and funny morality tale about the true value of money." James Rocchi at MSN Movies wrote that the filmis "cynical, amoral, tense and superbly shot and performed."

"We are always in search of smart genre fare with defined characters and powerful performances. And we found it in Katz's uniquely disturbing, funny, and remarkably thrilling film," says Drafthouse Films founder & CEO Tim League, "we are proud to welcome Cheap Thrills to our roster and we are anxious to unleash it upon unsuspecting audiences."

"Cheap Thrills is the darkest of comedies and the smartest of thrillers, and we're beyond excited to have a chance to work on this amazing film with Drafthouse Films," adds Keith Calder, president of Snoot Entertainment.

Producer Travis Stevens says, "Drafthouse Films is a company that built its name on releasing high quality, f'd up genre films. These are exactly the types of films we make. Eager to unleash the lunacy of Evan Katz's directorial debut on to the world with them."

Gabriel Cowan of New Artists Alliance adds "This all star team is sure to find every messed up degenerate that will enjoy this disturbing, hilarious directorial debut"

The deal was negotiated by Tim League and James Emanuel Shapiro on behalf of Drafthouse Films and Josh Braun and David Koh of Submarine on behalf of the film's producers.