John McTiernan will direct the action thriller Shrapnel for Paul Breuls’ Belgium-based Corsan and Film Engine in Los Angeles.

Corsan is financing and CEO Bruels will produce with Film Engine CEO Anthony Rhulen based on Evan Daugherty’s 2008 Blacklist screenplay about two war veterans who hunt each other in a lethal game.

Corsan’s president of international sales Pascal Borno will introduce the project to buyers in Toronto. Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group packaged and represents North American rights. McTiernan, Corsan and Film Engine are Paradigm clients.

Bruels and Corsan’s outside legal counsel Harris Tulchin negotiated on behalf of Corsan.  

“We are pleased to have John McTiernan on board, whose track record is consistent with the calibre of quality film-makers that Corsan is committed to supporting,” Bruels said. McTiernan’s credits include Die Hard, Predator and The Hunt For Red October.

Corsan is in post-production on the $20m Lee Tamahori thriller The Devil’s Double starring Dominic Cooper and Ludivine Sagnier.

Meanwhile Roland Joffe is set to direct the $27m feature Singularity in October, while the romantic comedy Meant To Be directed by Breuls will be released later this year.

Paradigm is representing North American rights on The Devil’s Double and Singularity. Meant To Be will be released through Anchor Bay in the US, UK and Australia pursuant to the companies’ distribution deal announced in Cannes.

FilmEngine is financing and producing The Rum Diary with Graham King’s GK Films.