The Weinstein Company, by far the busiest US buyer on the Croisette this year, has snapped up rights to the Keanu Reeves sci-fi romance Passengers.

The deal with domestic rights holder CAA closed on Tuesday evening [21] in Cannes after TWC is understood to have beaten out bids by Open Road and FilmDistrict. TWC plans a wide 2014 release.

Exclusive Media handles international sales and has reported a strong response from buyers to the story of a man on board a colony-bound spaceship who emerges early from cryogenic sleep and awakens a second passenger for company.

Brian Kirk will direct the film, which has been circling Hollywood for a long time and has now taken shape with talent attachments, international pre-sales and a domestic commitment.

Last week TWC paid $6.5m for US, Canadian and Spanish rights to Stephen Frears’ upcoming drama Philomena starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, as well as US, Latin American, Australian, Russian and German rights to Suite Francaise, while RADiUS-TWC acquired North American rights to Jeremy Saulnier’s Quinzaine entry Blue Ruin.