The French release of StudioCanal's eagerly-awaited The Brotherhood Of Wolves (Le Pacte Des Loups) has been postponed from an autumn 2000 slot to the end of January 2001 due to an extended post-production period.

The $25m fantasy period piece involves a high degree of special effects. Shot in Super 35mm and to be projected in Scope, the film has been entirely transferred to digital.

Metropolitan Filmexport (MF) is handling distribution of the film - Christophe Gans' second after Crying Freeman. It stars Vincent Cassel, who also stars in Jez Butterworth's upcoming Birthday Girl with Nicole Kidman, and Monica Bellucci, last seen in Steven Hopkins' Under Suspicion and next to play Cleopatra in Renn Productions' Asterix And Obelix sequel.

MF's Samuel Hadida co-produced Brotherhood through his Davis Films production outfit with StudioCanal which is also handling sales. The picture has already been pre-sold to about 15 territories including the UK (Pathe Pictures), Germany (Helkon) and Spain (Filmax).