StudioCanal has announcedthe appointment of a new president, Olivier Courson.

Courson, who is alsosecretary general of the Canal Plus Group, takes over from Bertrand Meheut whoremains as Canal Plus CEO.

StudioCanal managingdirector Frederic Sichler is unaffected by the change in management and willcontinue in his role as head of operations.

Meanwhile, in a series ofdistribution deals, StudioCanal has recently taken French rights to Robert DeNiro's second directorial effort The Good Sheperd which is currently shooting with De Niro and MattDamon.

Through the company's dealwith Working Title, StudioCanal will also distribute Flight 93 by Paul Greengrass, director of The BourneSupremacy. Further, AlejandroGonzalez Inarritu's Babelstarring Cate Blanchett and Gael Garcia Bernal will be handled by StudioCanalin France.

Via its agreement withSpyglass Entertainment, StudioCanal will also handle French rights to RobMarshall's Memoirs Of A Geishaand video rights only on sequel The Legend Of Zorro.

At the Canal Plus Group, adeal with Sony Pictures Television International has been extended forexclusive first window and pay per view of all Sony Pictures Entertainmentoutput with non-exclusive rights on VOD. Upcoming, yet-to-be released titlesinclude Sam Raimi's Spider Man 3,Ron Howard's The Da Vinci Code andDean Parisot's Fun With Dick And Janestarring Jim Carrey and Tea Leoni.