Magnolia Pictures’ genre arm Magnet Releasing has acquired US rights to John Woos’ period military epic Red Cliff from CAA and Howard Frumes of Alexander, Nau, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz.

Magnet plans an autumn theatrical release of the combined version and will make both parts available on VOD and DVD. E1 Entertainment will release the film simultaneously in Canada.

Terence Chang produced the Asian box office hit, whose combined two parts have grossed more than $100m in Japan and remain the highest grossing release in mainland China on more than $88m.

The film was financed by China Film Group, Japan’s Avex, Taiwan’s CMC and South Korea’s Showbox.

Tony Leung, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Zhang Fengyi star in the tale of a military campaign that took place during the end of the Han Dynasty in the early third century.

“Colossal in every regard, Red Cliff is undoubtedly one of the most exciting films to come out of China in a long time,” Magnet’s senior vice-president Tom Quinn said. “John Woo has delivered a provocative, jaw-dropping, andmoving epic. Mainstream audiences and die hard Woo fans alike are in for a big treat.”

Quinn and Magnet’s head of business affairs Chris Matson negotiated the deal with CAA and Howard Frumes of Alexander, Nau, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz.

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