Fledgling Berlin-based production outfit box! Film & Fernsehproduktion has added two new German-language projects to its co-development and first look deal with StudioCanal.

Producers Philipp Homberg and Andreas Eicher have commissioned author Horst Bosetzky to write a screenplay on the life of Berlin's record jailbreaker Eckehard 'Ecke' Lehmann. The project is based on Lothar Berg's novel Ohne Kompromiss, to be filmed under the title of Der King.

box! has acquired film rights to Die Giftkoechin (Den Ljuva Giftkokerskan), by best-selling Finnish author Arto Paasilinna. The black comedy tells the story of a 70-year-old widow who successfully resists the attempts of her nephew and his friends to relieve her of her fortune.

This news comes after box!'s debut feature production Frau2 Sucht HappyEnd, directed by Edward Berger, was awarded a golden Lola for cinematographer Gero Steffen at this year's German Film Awards.

The arrangement with StudioCanal's German arm, which co-produced and distributed Frau2 Sucht HappyEnd, is initially for two years to co-develop German-language projects for co-production and distribution. The company has a first look deal to board projects developed by box! outside of this co-development agreement.