IFC Films Acquires Rights to James McAvoy-Led WELCOME TO THE PUNCH

FC Films announced today the company is acquiring all U.S. rights to director Eran Creevy's action thriller WELCOME TO THE PUNCH from Worldview Entertainment. The film, which was also written by Creevy, stars James McAvoy, Mark Strong, and Andrea Riseborough. The project was produced by Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh of Between the Eyes and Brian Kavanaugh Jones of Automatik. Worldview'sChristopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah Johnson Redlich executive produced with Ridley Scott and Liza Marshall of Scott Free Productions, Xavier Marchand of Momentum Pictures, and Stuart Ford of IM Global.

In WELCOME TO THE PUNCH, former criminal Jacob Sternwood (Strong) is forced to return to London from his Icelandic hideaway when his son is involved in a heist gone wrong. This gives detective Max Lewinsky (McAvoy) one last chance to catch the man he has always been after. As they face off, they start to uncover a deeper conspiracy they both need to solve in order to survive.

Jonathan Sehring, President of Sundance Selects/IFC Films, said: "WELCOME TO THE PUNCH is an ingenious action thriller featuring some of the best actors working today including James MacAvoy, Mark Strong and Andrea Riseborough. Eran Creevy made a huge mark with SHIFTY but he's really arrived with WELCOME TO THE PUNCH. We could not be more excited to partner with him and a who's who of international partners including Ben Pugh and Rory Aitken of Between the Eye Productions, Brian Kavanaugh Jones of Automatik, our friends at Scott Free Productions, Stuart Ford and his team at IM Global, Alliance Films and Worldview Entertainment."

Christopher Woodrow, Chairman and CEO of Worldview, noted: "With IFC Films' experience and impressive track record, it's a perfect home for WELCOME TO THE PUNCH. Filmmaker Eran Creevy has made an action packed, smart film and we look forward to its release."

The deal for the film was negotiated by Jeff Deutchman, Director of Acquisitions & Productions for Sundance Selects/IFC Films with CAA on behalf of Worldview. Stuart Ford's IM Global has international rights to the film.

IFC Films is a sister label to IFC Midnight and Sundance Selects, and is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc.

Worldview Entertainment's current slate includes Guillaume Canet's crime thriller, "Blood Ties," starring Clive Owen, Zoe Saldana and Mila Kunis; James Gray's untitled epic period drama starring Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner; Atom Egoyan's West Memphis Three biopic, "Devil's Knot," starring Colin Firth and Reese Witherspoon; and "Killer Joe," from filmmaker William Friedkin, starring Matthew McConaughey and Emile Hirsch.