Directed and produced by “The Bold and the Beautiful and “Jane the Virgin” alum Justin Baldoni, Disney+ announced today that it has picked up the exclusive streaming rights to the feature film “Clouds” beginning this fall.
The moving and inspirational film is based on the memoir “Fly a Little Higher” by Laura Sobiech, whose son, Zach, was a musically gifted 17-year old living with a rare bone cancer (osteosarcoma). He died in May 2013.
The story follows Zach’s journey over the course of his senior year as he navigates the complexities of love, friendship, family and leaving behind a musical legacy. The film stars Fin Argus (Brat’s “Total Eclipse”) as Zach Sobiech, Sabrina Carpenter (“The Hate U Give”) as his best friend and bandmate Sammy, Madison Iseman (“Annabelle Comes Home,” “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”) as Zach’s girlfriend Amy, Thomas Everett Scott (“13 Reasons Why,” “La La Land”) and Neve Campbell (“Skyscraper,” “House of Cards”) as his parents, Laura and Rob.
“I fell in love with Zach’s infectious joy and spirit seven years ago when I made a short documentary about his life. Just before he passed, I made a promise to him that I would do whatever I could to make sure the world heard his music,” said Baldoni. “In the age of COVID-19, with the future of the theatre business up in the air, it was extremely important to me to ensure Zach’s message of hope, faith and triumph in the face of adversity truly had the opportunity to touch as many hearts around the world as possible. That’s why I’m so excited to be partnering with Disney+ for my first film under our Wayfarer Studios banner, as it’s the perfect home and platform to bring Zach’s incredible story to the world.”
The project is the first narrative film acquisition from the Disney+ Global Content team and will be available exclusively in all Disney+ markets.
“Justin has created a poignant and uplifting tribute to Zach, whose story shows us the power of optimism, music, and human connection,” said Ricky Strauss, president, Content & Marketing, Disney+. “As our team searches the world for stories that entertain and inspire, ‘Clouds’ is a fantastic fit for Disney+ and our global audience.”
“Clouds” is a Mad Chance/La Scala Films Production, co-financed by Wayfarer Studios, and produced by Mad Chance’s Andrew Lazar, Justin Baldoni for Wayfarer Studios and Casey La Scala. Steve Sarowitz, Wendy S. Williams and Cate Adams are also executive producers, and Ben Simpson is a co-producer. Endeavor Content and Wayfarer Studios brokered the deal of the film.