Focus Features Acquires AIDS Drama ‘Dallas Buyers Club’ Starring Matthew McConaughey and Jennifer Garner

Focus Features has acquired domestic and Latin American rights to Jean-Marc Vallee’s fact-based medical drama “Dallas Buyers Club,” which stars Matthew McConaughey as HIV/AIDS patient Rob Woodroff in 1980s Texas. The film also features Jennifer Garner and Jared Leto.

McConaughey-heads have no doubt seen the dramatic weight loss the “Magic Mike” star — now onscreen in Jeff Nichols’ “Mud” — underwent for this role (which he discusses along with his recent string of indie projects in this TOH interview). Via subterfuge, his character acquires alternative treatments to HIV/AIDS, which he begins to sell covertly to others afflicted with the virus.

Vallee previously directed the Oscar-winning “The Young Victoria” (2009) with Emily Blunt, and last year’s Canadian festival hit “Cafe de Flore.” Though “Dallas Buyers Club” is still in post-production, Focus Features plans a domestic release in the second half of 2013, likely for an awards push.