‘Stelios': Greek Box Office Hit Lands North American Theatrical Release Via Firestorm Entertainment
EXCLUSIVE: After posting record box office figures in Greece, Stelios, a biopic of the revered Greek musician Stelios Kazantzidis, is heading stateside for a theatrical release via Firestorm Entertainment.
Firestorm will release the flick in theaters across the U.S. and Canada from May 9th.
More from Deadline
Sally El Hosaini & James Krishna Floyd's TIFF & LFF Feature 'Unicorns' Gets North American Deal
'Kiss Of The Spider Woman' Dancing To North American Deal With Roadside Attractions, Lionsgate & LD Entertainment
Former Studiocanal Exec Lucy Savage Among Trio Behind New Distribution Outfit Two Fresh, Company Set For EFM With Debut Title 'Stelios'
Directed by Yorgos Tsemberopoulos and produced by Tanweer Productions, Stelios stars Christos Mastoras, lead singer of the band Melisses, as Kazantzidis. Since its release in Greece in December, Stelios has passed 920,000 admissions, quickly climbing the local charts to become the fourth highest-grossing Greek film of all time.
The film explores Kazantzakis's unique life story, from his childhood as a Pontus refugee to his start in the music business and how he became one of Greece's most beloved artists. Best known for his tunes which mixed Greek rebetiko and laïko traditions, Kazantzakis was regarded as the voice of the people. His songs often explored themes of love, migration, and resilience.
Such was his quiet yet global popularity, Frank Sinatra is often quoted to have said of Kazantzidis: 'If Stelios Kazantzidis had been in the United States, he would have had a bigger career than me.'
Stelios is co-produced by Aegean Oil, Finos Film, Cosmote TV, Hellenic Film and Audiovisual Center- Creative Greece, Stardust Effects, and Black Orange, with sponsorship from Custom Productions, DEI, the Greek National Tourism Organization, and the Hellenic Healthcare Group.
In addition to opening in the US and Canada, Stelios is set for theatrical release in the United Kingdom (Two Fresh), Germany, Switzerland and Austria (Kinostar), the Netherlands (Kinepolis), Turkey (The Moments Entertainment), Australia (Palace Cinamas), Israel (Tulip Entertainment), with deals being set for South Africa and Central and Eastern Europe.
'Stelios Kazantzidis is not just a musician – he is a voice of resilience, hope, and passion that has defined Greek culture for generations,' Tsemberopoulos said in a statement. 'This film is a tribute to his legacy, and we are thrilled to share it with audiences around the world.'
Firestorm Entertainment is the theatrical distribution label founded and run by industry veterans Amorette Jones, Evan Saxon, and Joe Garel — the distribution and marketing team behind the hit Filipino drama Hello, Love, Again.
Producer Dionyssis Samiotis added: 'The overwhelming response in Greece proves the lasting impact of Stelios Kazantzidis' music. His voice spoke to the soul of the nation, and this film captures his incredible journey.'
Best of Deadline
2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
How To Watch 'Wicked: Part One': Is The Film Streaming Yet?
All The Songs In 'Severance' Season 2: From The Who To Ella Fitzgerald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Elizabeth Hurley Cast in 'Mischievous' Career-First Role and Fans Are Already 'Obsessed'
Elizabeth Hurley has landed a head-turning new gig! Marking her return to TV screens—her last TV show appearances included Runaways and The Royals from 2015 through 2019—the 59-year-old actress has been cast as 'The Deceseased,' a dead, glamorous benefactor in a gripping new series. Appearing in The Inheritance, which will air on the UK's Channel 4, it also marks her foray into a competition series that's described as very high-stakes. Per the synopsis, 'Thirteen strangers are summoned to a grand stately home. They are there to compete for part of the fortune left in the will of The Deceased.' It teases that 'winning the money won't be easy' as 'The Deceased had a wicked sense of humor and has designed a mischievous game to ensure only the best players can get their hands on her inheritance.' The executor and trusted legal counsel for Hurley's character, who will be keeping a "watchful eye," will be played by lawyer and British TV personality Robert Rinder. Contestants will have to work as a team to complete The Deceased's final request, including 'a series of devilishly difficult assignments that will demand they are clever, collaborative and cunning,' however, the twist is that only one player can claim the money gained in each request. Hurley released a statement calling it a 'thrill to be part of this clever game.' And fans shouldn't be surprised that the model will bring her A-game, noting, 'It all takes place on her huge estate in the English countryside, and she dresses to the nines in every scene.' Fans can also expect it to be as gripping and have the same allure as The Traitors, considering it hails from the same team, Studio Lambert. Steven Handley, Channel 4's Head of Reality & Entertainment, described the upcoming 12-episode show as "part Knives Out, part Succession", previously teasing the inclusion of "British icon" now revealed to be Hurley. 'The Inheritance isn't just a battle of strategy, alliances, and inevitable betrayals - it's a cocktail of drama, jeopardy, and outright mischief that Reality fans love. I can't wait to see how our players handle the challenges, the twists, and a few sneaky surprises, Handley revealed, per Deadline. Immediately following the reveal, fans took to the comments with reactions such as, "This looks insane 😍" "Hooked already ❤️ can't wait to see" "Obsessed already" and "This sounds very hardly wait to see it !!! ❤️🙌🔥😍🌟💞👌." 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Emily Blunt Reveals ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2' Filming Update
Gird your loins! A year after it was announced, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is finally going into production this summer. While playing coy about details around the upcoming sequel to the 2006 screen adaptation of Lauren Weisberger's novel, Emily Blunt revealed that the followup goes into production next month, when she'll reprise her role as Emily Charlton. More from Deadline Everything We Know About 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' 'The Devil Wears Prada' Sequel Scripted By Aline Brosh McKenna In Early Development At Disney UK Agency The Partnership Group Takes Majority Stakes In Sayle Screen & Sara Putt Associates 'Am I allowed to say that?' Blunt asked her rep with a laugh before sharing the news with Entertainment Tonight, previously joking: 'Can you tell I'm skirting the issue? Can you tell I can't tell you anything?' With the first film's screenwriter Aline Bros McKenna returning to pen the sequel and OG director David Frankel expected to return as well, Blunt said of what her character's up to, 'It's so weird, I haven't even read a script. I don't know. I'm just like, 'Where is she?' I don't know.' After The Devil Wears Prada premiered in theaters 20 years ago this month, starring Anne Hathaway as recent college graduate Andy Sachs, who takes a job at fashion magazine Runway as the assistant to the diabolical Miranda Priestley (Meryl Streep). 'In a blink, it's gone by,' said Blunt. The sequel, which was revealed to be in development at Disney last July, will premiere in theaters on May 1, 2026. While no casting has been confirmed, Blunt is expected to reunite with Streep and Hathaway. Although plot details have not yet been shared, Weisberger's 2013 book sequel Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns follows Andy as the editor for a new bridal magazine while planning her own wedding and living in fear of her inevitable reunion with Miranda Priestley. Best of Deadline 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
‘Materialists' Filmmaker Celine Song Knows Something About Love
The best romantic comedies in and of themselves become timeless Bibles of life. Woody Allen's Annie Hall didn't just speak to the 1970s single folk but also to any teenager in a future era going through heartbreak. More from Deadline 'How To Train Your Dragon' Won't Be Laggin' At Summer Box Office With $175M-$185M Global Start For Live-Action Redo - Preview 'Materialists' Review: Dakota Johnson Measures Value Of Love Between Chris Evans And Pedro Pascal in Celine Song's Sublime Romcomdram From Grammy Nominated Hip Hop Artist To Indie Filmmaker With 'Paradise Records': The Rise Of Logic - Crew Call Podcast Ditto for 2009's 500 Days of Summer: It may have been about millennials and for millennials, but carried themes about the pursuit of love that any fortysomething could relate to. And, so, we arrive at Celine Song's Materialists which is a deconstruction of the singledom that's absolutely now, steeped in its social media marketability and posh wants, but at the end of the day it's the raw, shabby, sincere form of love which wins out. In turning the romcom on its head (though Jane Austen's Emma does come to mind), Dakota Johnson plays Lucy, a high-end matchmaker in NYC who contends with her clients lofty wants in a mate. Lucy, who knows everything there is about marketability in the game of courtship, falls for the ultimate unicorn in Pedro Pascal's ultimate rich dude, Harry. But then Lucy's ex, John (an amazing, no-holds-barred Chris Evans) reenters the picture. He doesn't have Harry's wallet, but, man, he knows what makes Lucy tick (beer and soda). Before she was an Oscar nominated filmmaker, Song was a matchmaker ten years ago. 'I learned more about people in those six months, than in any other part of my life,' she tells us today on Crew Call. Though she doesn't consider herself an expert on love, you can't deny her knowledge. Move over, Leo Buscaglia. 'Love is a completely mysterious thing that we don't have a solution for,' says Song about the difference between dating and finding the love of your life. 'Love is something that humbles us, that ask us to surrender, it's the one that asks us to be our purist, most simple self,' Song shares, 'When love is offered to you, all you can say is 'Deal'. You can say 'Yes, deal. I want this love in my life.' Materialists opens this Friday. Best of Deadline 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series 2025 TV Series Renewals: Photo Gallery
