THR is reporting that RLJ Entertainment has acquired the for U.S. rights to Brendan Muldowney’s new historical epic Pilgrimage, in a seven-figure deal ahead of the European Film Market this week.

The film is set in Ireland in 1209 and sees a small group of monks begin a reluctant pilgrimage across an island torn between centuries of tribal warfare and the growing power of Norman invaders. Escorting their monastery’s holiest relic to Rome, the monks’ progress is seen through the eyes of a pious young novice and a mute lay-brother with a violent past. As the true material, political and religious significance of the bejewelled relic becomes dangerously apparent, their path to the east coast becomes increasingly fraught with danger. The monks belatedly realise that in this wild land of ancient superstitions, the faith that binds them together may ultimately lead to their destruction.

Muldowney has gathered an extraordinary cast of Irish and international stars, led by the new Spider-Man Tom Holland as a novice monk. He is joined by The Hobbit‘s Richard Armitage as a misanthropic knight and Walking Dead and Punisher star Jon Berthal as a mute brother with a violent past. Local talent includes John Lynch (The Fall), Hugh O’Conor (The Stag), Ruaidhri Conroy (Jack Taylor), Tristan McConnell (Vikings), and Lochlann O’Mearain (Poison Pen).

The film was written by Jamie Hannigan, with Muldowney’s Love Eternal cinematographer Tom Comerford returning to work with the director once again. It is an Irish/Belgian co-production with Conor Barry and John Keville of Dublin-based Savage Productions and Benoit Roland of Wrong Men North as producers. Financing comes from the Irish Film Board Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (FÉ/SI) is the national development agency for Irish filmmaking and the Irish film, television and animation industry., Creative Europe, Broadcasting Authority Of Ireland, Wallimages, and the Wallonia Cultural Fund. XYZ Films is executive producing and brokered the deal with RLJ.

Commenting on the news RLJ’s chief acquisitions officer Mark Ward said:

This is the kind of elevated genre film that action fans across the country have been waiting to see. With a stellar cast led by Jon, Richard and Tom, we are very excited to bring this film to theaters nationwide.

Pilgrimage

Director: Brendan Muldowney

Writer: Jamie Hannigan

Producers: Conor Barry, John Keville, Benoit Roland

Cinematographer: Tom Comerford

Actors: Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal, Stanley Weber, Hugh O’Conor, Ruaidhri Conroy, John Lynch, Richard Armitage, Tristan McConnell, Gaetan Wenders, Lochlann O’Mearain

Ireland, 1209. An island on the edge of the world. A small group of monks begin a reluctant pilgrimage across an island torn between centuries of tribal warfare and the growing power of Norman invaders.[/infobox]