Oscar-winning director Sean Baker has secured his largest paycheck ever for 'Ti Amo!', his next film after 'Anora'. Clockwork, Warner Bros.' indie label, acquired global distribution rights for $22 million. The deal provides Baker with a multimillion-dollar salary as writer, director, editor and producer.
Warner Bros. announced at CinemaCon in Las Vegas last week that its Clockwork label, led by Christian Parkes, had acquired 'Ti Amo!', an Italian sex comedy described by Baker as an ode to 1960s and 1970s films. Five sources familiar with the deal confirmed to Variety that the price reached $22 million, covering the film's budget financed by FilmNation, projected above $10 million. Baker will receive a substantial share, marking a shift from his history of low-budget productions using even iPhones in early works like 'The Florida Project' in 2017. This follows 'Anora', which won best picture at the 2025 Oscars where Baker claimed four awards, tying Walt Disney's record. Baker pitched the project last year to studios including Neon, A24 and Disney's Searchlight Pictures, with one U.S.-only offer at about $5 million. Represented by lawyer James Feldman and manager Adam Kersh, he closed without cast commitments or A-list attachments. Production begins in September once the script is finalized. An executive involved remarked, “Isn’t it great to see a filmmaker like Sean who has earned his way up finally get rewarded so he can keep getting to make movies his way?” The pact offers Baker unified distribution, marketing and strategy outside France for the first time, amid challenges for indie filmmakers facing shrinking deals and festival sales.
