Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios has paid $4 million for the North American distribution rights to the sci-fi thriller Replicas. The deal was completed at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the film was being screened for potential buyers. The film is about a synthetic biologist tries to replicate his family after they were killed in an accident, pitting him against the government-controlled laboratory, police, and the limitations of science.



It was written by Chad St. John,, directed by Jeffrey Nachmanoff (Traitor), and stars Keanu Reeves (John Wick), Alice Eve (Star Trek: Into the Darkness), Thomas Middleditch (Silicon Valley) and John Ortiz (Kong: Skull Island). Riverstone Pictures and Remstar Studios co-financed the film, which was produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Stephen Hamel, Keanu Reeves, Mark Gao, and Luis A. Riefkohl.



Allen's company has been aggressive in trying to secure distribution rights for various film properties, including an unsuccessful attempt to get The Birth of a Nation in 2016. They scored a hit with the theatrical release of 47 Meters Down, the $5.5 million budgeted production ended up grossing $44 million in theaters. Their upcoming releases include Burn Your Maps and Friend Request. The first photo for Replicas was released ahead of their attendance at New York Comic-Con, where they are expected to show some clips from the film. ﻿