Lionsgate has entered into a co-production and distribution deal for Luc Besson’s action film Anna which will be produced by his company EuropaCorp. The film, written and directed by Besson, starts production November and will be released under Lionsgate’s Summit.

Anna features Helen Mirren, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy and Besson’s newest discovery Russian model Sasha Luss, as Anna. Marc Shmuger will produce on behalf of EuropaCorp.

Besson directed the Scarlett Johansson-starrer Lucy, the futuristic The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional, the La Femme Nikita and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and he also co-wrote and produced the hit action franchise Taken. Peter Nichols of Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler & Feldman negotiated the deal for Luc Besson and also reps Luss. Mirren is represented by CAA, Evans by WME and United Agents in the UK and Murphy by ICM Partners, The Lisa Richards Agency and Lou Coulson Associates.

The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Constantine, Eda Kowan, Executive VP, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, John Biondo, Executive VP, Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions and Elizabeth Hopkins, Senior VP, Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions. Marc Shmuger and Aaron Michiel, Executive VP of Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of EuropaCorp.