FilmDistrict has swooped on US rights to the Ryan Gosling thriller, marking the fledgling company’s second acquisition and the first major domestic deal during AFM.

Nicolas Winding Refn is currently shooting the film in and around Los Angeles. Gosling plays a Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver. Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston and Christina Hendricks round out the key cast. Hossein Amini adapted the screenplay from James Sallis’ novella.

WME handled domestic rights and negotiated the deal with FilmDistrict on behalf of the producers. FilmDistrict has earmarked a wide release in the third quarter of 2011.

Marc Platt and Adam Siegel are producing Drive alongside Gigi Pritzker of OddLot Entertainment and Michel Litvak of Bold Films, marking the first time the two companies have co-produced and co-financed a project since they launched sales entity Affinity International in late 2009.

David Lancaster, Gary Michael Walters, Bill Lischak and Linda McDonough serve as executive producers.

Affinity International is at AFM to conclude remaining overseas sales on the project it launched in Cannes.

“The script was really good and the director is clearly someone who everyone wants to work with so we’re really excited,” FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel said.

“Drive has a great cast and we’re confident this will deliver an elevated genre picture.”

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