EXCLUSIVE: In a multi-million dollar deal, Lionsgate UK has boarded Guy Ritchie’s untitled Jason Statham action-thriller which was launched by Miramax and CAA Media Finance at the American Film Market.
The project, which re-teams Ritchie and Statham for the first time since Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch, was one of the hot properties at the AFM. As we revealed, MGM stumped up for domestic and select international rights, and a bunch of major territories are in final negotiations.
Pic follows ‘H’, a “cold and mysterious” character working at a cash truck company responsible for moving hundreds of millions of dollars around Los Angeles each week. The film shifts across timelines and between various character’s perspectives. Also starring are Scott Eastwood, Josh Hartnett and Holt McCallany.
The movie, currently in early production, was known as Cash Truck during the AFM but it doesn’t have an official title yet. Miramax’s Bill Block and Ivan Atkinson will produce.
The UK deal was brokered at AFM between Zygi Kamasa and Nick Manzi for Lionsgate and Yvette Zhuang and Jill Silfen at Miramax with CAA Media Finance.
Lionsgate UK, which also acquired Gerard Butler thriller The Plane at the market, has previously released Statham movies including The Mechanic, The Expendables, Hummingbird, The Bank Job and Crank 3.
Commenting on the acquisition, Lionsgate UK’s CEO Zygi Kamasa said, “Guy Ritchie back together with Jason Statham is a film I’m first in line to watch so I knew we had to acquire it in the U.K.. We can’t wait to work with them both again.”
“This movie is our second project with the renowned British filmmaker, Guy Ritchie, and we couldn’t think of a better partner to acquire the UK rights for this compelling new thriller other than Lionsgate UK,” added Miramax CEO, Bill Block, who recently sold Ritchie’s The Gentlemen.