Lionsgate announced today that it has acquired North American distribution rights (including Canada) to the EuropaCorp-produced action-thriller From Paris With Love. Academy Award® nominee John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers star. Pierre Morel (Taken) directs, from a screenplay written by Luc Besson (Taken, Transporter 3) and Adi Hasak (Shadow Conspiracy). Besson produces for EuropaCorp. The announcement was made by Joe Drake, Lionsgate President, Motion Picture Group, and Co-Chief Operating Officer.
From Paris With Love recently completed production in France. Lionsgate has scheduled the film for release on February 19, 2010. The deal marks the third collaboration between Lionsgate and EuropaCorp, following the studio’s distribution of EuropaCorp’s Transporter 3 last Thanksgiving and High Tension in 2005.
Said Jason Constantine, Lionsgate President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, “We are thrilled to be back in business with our friends at EuropaCorp, who are masters of the sharp, clever high-octane thriller. ‘From Paris With Love’ is the crème de la crème of the genre, boasting a terrific filmmaking team and the inspired star pairing of John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.”
Said Besson, “It is a pleasure to reunite with our friends at Lionsgate, who bring great energy and flair to the marketing and distribution of our films. In a sense, Lionsgate and EuropaCorp are mirroring a great tradition of action films we have become a buddy team!”
Added EuropaCorp COO Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, “‘From Paris With Love’ achieves the holy trinity of the action genre: great stars, terrific action and amazing locations. We are very excited that Lionsgate is joining us for this new adventure.”
In the film, low-ranking intelligence operative (Rhys Meyers) working in the office of the U.S. Ambassador in France takes on more than he bargained for when he partners with a wisecracking, fast-shooting, high-ranking U.S. agent (Travolta) who’s been sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack.
