New Beverly Hills financing outfit Magnet Media Group (MMG) has boarded the crime thriller remake 13 that Paramount Vantage International is pre-selling here.

13 is the first project to be co-financed by Barbarian Films, Oceana Media Finance and MMG and stars Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Sam Riley Ray Winstone, Ray Liotta and 50 Cent.

Gela Babluani, who directed the original French 2005 thriller 13: Tzameti, is directing the story of a construction worker who gets embroiled with a Russian Roulette ring after he steals an envelope containing a set of mysterious instructions.

'Barbarian have done an excellent job in developing this film for the wider market and we are happy they chose us to be one of their production and finance partners to make it happen,' MMG president Maggie Monteith said.

'We welcome MMG as our partner in the project and are already enjoying working together,' Barbarian's managing partner Aaron Kaufman said.

'In today's market of reduced capital, Magnet represents a viable equity alternative for producers and film-makers alike and we are very excited to be in business with them and look forward to a long and prosperous relationship,' Oceana Media's Myles Nestel added.'

Endeavor Independent's Graham Taylor and Alexis Garcia introduced the project to MMG.