Weinstein Co. acquires Death Defying Acts

The Weinstein Co. has picked up U.S. distribution rights to the new Houdini film, Death Defying Acts, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Guy Pearce as Harry Houdini.

TWC's Harvey Weinstein bought the film off a promo reel made available for the first time at the American Film Market (AFM).

Though produced for less than $20 million, sources claim that The Weinstein Co will pay somewhere near $5.5 million for the distribution rights. This amount doesn't include the territories Weinstein has rights to outside the U.S. such as Argentina, Hong Kong and China.

Myriad Pictures has already sold distribution rights for Death Defying Acts in various territories, including U.K. rights to Lionsgate.

The film is a “supernatural romantic thriller” which tells the fictional story of Houdini’s relationship with a Scottish psychic played by Zeta Jones.

Death Defying Acts will be released in 2007.