The distributor has taken all rights in the US, Canada and the UK to The Wicker Tree from Robin Hardy, whose 1973 horror film remains one of the great cult films of British cinema.

Peter Snell reunites with Hardy as producer on the British Lion production and Anchor Bay Films plans an early 2012 release. Peter Watson-Wood also producers and Alistair Gourlay serves as executive producer.

The Wicker Tree is based on Hardy’s book Cowboys For Christ and tells of a Texan singer and her cowboy friend who travel to Scotland to spread the gospel among a community presided over by a powerful landowner.

“The original Wicker Man set a standard for literate horror cinema that is still unsurpassed,” Anchor Bay Entertainment president Bill Clark said. “Now, with The Wicker Tree, we’re thrilled to present the follow-up of this haunting tale to a new generation.”

Newcomer Brittania Nicol stars alongside Henry Garrett, Graham McTavish, Jacqueline Leonard, Clive Russell and Honeysuckle Weeks. Christopher Lee, who played the sinister Lord Summerisle in the original film, has a cameo role.

Clark, Kevin Kasha and Marc Barson brokered the deal for Anchor Bay Films with Snell for British Lion.

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