A follow-up to Tambay‘s story posted today about the “distributor trials” caused by the film’s uncompromising sexual content.

According to Mike Fleming from Deadline.com, Fox Searchlight, Sony Pictures Classics and The Weinstein Company, are rumored to be bidding over the rights of Steve McQueen‘s sophomore drama Shame, regardless of its NC-17 rating. The film, premiering at The Toronto Film Festival this Sunday, stars Michael Fassbender , Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale and Nicole Beharie.

Here’s the excerpt of that story:

“last night, I heard that a bidding battle had already broken out for the Steve McQueen-directed Shame, which should be sold by the time it screens Sunday. Fox Searchlight is the favorite, Sony Pictures Classics is in the mix and I’ve heard that The Weinstein Company is hovering. Bidding began right after its Telluride screening, and the mid-six figures thrown around yesterday will probably go higher. That’s huge, considering the movie is an unabashed NC-17, McQueen has final cut, and the sex-obsessed protagonist is unlikable. Oh, yeah, and the sellers want it released this year for Oscar consideration to capitalize on Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan’s Oscar-caliber performances.”

More updates as they come…