Cannes: Shailene Woodley Serial Killer Thriller 'Misanthrope' Sells to China (Exclusive)

The pickup follows other Cannes sales to most territories around the world for the film, which is directed by 2014 Oscar nominee Damian Szifron ('Wild Tales').

In one of the few sizable China distribution deals to emerge from the Cannes Film Market, the Shailene Woodley serial killer thriller Misanthrope has been snapped up by Beijing-based distributor Infotainment China Media.

The Chinese company acquired the film from FilmNation after a buyer presentation in Cannes that included the Big Little Lies actress and director Damian Szifron (Wild Tales).

Playing a troubled detective, Woodley tangos with an elusive serial killer in the thriller. Szifron, who was nominated for a foreign-language Oscar in 2014 for Wild Tales, co-wrote the script for Misanthrope with Jonathan Wakeham. Additional casting is said to be underway, with a target shoot date set for later this year in Atlanta.

FilmNation closed deals earlier in the market for much of the world, including France (Metropolitan), Germany (Tobis), Italy (BIM), Spain (Vertigo), Eastern Europe (Vertical), Hong Kong (Edko), India (PVR), Indonesia (PT Prima), Japan (Gaga), Philippines (Pioneer), Singapore (Shaw), South Korea and Thailand (Joyncinema), Taiwan (Moviecloud), Vietnam (Blue Lantern), Australia/NZ (Roadshow, also via an output), and elsewhere.

Infotainment's acquisition was negotiated by the company's CEO, Chinese industry veteran Cindy Mi Lin. At the European Film Market in Berlin in February, the company acquired two other high-profile titles from FilmNation, The Aeronauts, starring Felicity Jones and Eddy Redmayne, and The Personal History of David Copperfield, from director Armando Iannucci. Both of those titles are expected to be released in China day-and-date with their North American openings later this year.

Some of the company's past imported releases include Focus Features' Kubo and the Two Strings, which earned $6.4 million in China. Infotainment has also worked closely with the Shanghai International Film Festival to bring prestige foreign titles to the event.