Mister Smith Entertainment is to debut the second in The Mortal Instruments franchise at Cannes.

David Garrett’s Mister Smith Entertainment will showcase fantasy sequel The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes to international buyers at Cannes next week.

The production, from Constantin Film and Unique Features, will follow The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, due for worldwide release this summer and will be released in the US by Screen Gems on August 23.

Harald Zwart will return to direct the sequel as will screenwriter Jessica Postigo Paquette. Returning stars are Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower.

Principal photography on the sequel will begin this autumn.

Robert Kulzer is producing for Constantin Film alongside Don Carmody. Both were involved in the Resident Evil franchise.

Executive producers are Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne for Unique Features, and Martin Moszkowicz for Constantin Film.

Cassandra Clare’s best-selling book series, The Mortal Instruments, has been translated in 34 languages and has sold over 16 million copies worldwide.

Set in modern day New York City, the story revolves around ‘shadowhunters’ – humans born with angelic blood who secretly protect civilisation by battling demons.

The first in the series, City of Bones, centres on teenager Clary Fray (Collins) who first witnesses a murder at a club and then finds out that her mother, Jocelyn (Lena Headey) has been kidnapped by a man named Valentine (Jonathan Rhys Meyers).

She calls on a team of shadowhunters, led by Jace (Campbell Bower) to help find her mother and learn about her past.

In the second instalment, her mother remains in a magically induced coma, her newfound father is an evil shadowhunter rebel and complications arise in her relationship with Jace. In the meantime, Valentine is working to create a demon army.