Lionsgate UK has been on the acquisitions trail picking up deals on a number of titles including rom com Playing The Field with Gerard Butler and Simon West’s action thriller Medallion, starring Nicholas Cage, from Nu Image.

Playing the Field (which also stars Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman and Catherine Zeta Jones) and Medallion continue Lionsgate UK’s relationship with Nu Image/Millennium Films after acquiring last year’s Summer blockbuster The Expendables and previously releasing The Mechanic and Bad Lieutenant.

“These are big commercial cast-led movies,” Lionsgate UK Ceo Zygi Kamasa said of the pick-ups of the Nu Image titles. “Simon West did Con Air, Tomb Raider and The Mechanic. It’s a great action heist script. And Playing The Field has a great cast. They’re very big, glossy commercial films. That really fits into the kind of movies we’re trying to do.”

Lionsgate UK has also pre-bought the Iain Softley thriller Trap For Cinderella from Ealing Metro International. An adaptation of Sebastien Japrisot’s novel, it explores the mystery surrounding two women who are trapped inside a beach house at a French resort which is unexpectedly gutted by a suspicious fire.

Meanwhile, Lionsgate UK is to handle the UK release of Irvine Welsh adaptation Filth (sold by Sierra/Affinity in the market.) The film is being written and directed by Jon S. Baird. It is being produced by Ken Marshall through Steel Mill Pictures and executive produced by Will Clarke. (Icon will be distributing the film in Australia).

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