Lionsgate has taken North American rights to Luc Besson's EuropaCorp thriller From Paris With Love, starring John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers and directed by Pierre Morel.

The deal reunites Lionsgate and Europa after Lionsgate released Olivier Megaton's Transporter 3 last year and Alexandre Aja's horror film High Tension in 2005.

From Paris centres on a low-ranking intelligence operative working in the office of the US Ambassador to France who takes on more than he bargained for when he partners with a high-ranking American agent sent to Paris to stop a terrorist attack.

Besson wrote the From Paris screenplay alongside Adi Kasak. The film recently completed production in France and Lionsgate is planning a February 19, 2010 release.

Lionsgate president of acquisitions and co-productions Jason Constantine said,

'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.'

Besson added, '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!'

Europa and Morel are riding a hot streak in the US with Taken which is currently out in theatres and enjoying an impressive box office ride. The film, whose total tally now stands at $127 million, dropped off only 9%last week in its 7th week of release.

Topics