In a coup for sales agentFortissimo Films, Warner Bros Pictures Japan has boarded Tsui Hark'sVenice-opener Seven Swords, which screens in Toronto on Sunday.

The deal, which wasconcluded in Venice, is the largest-ever for Fortissimo in Japan, where the $18m Seven Swords will now open onOctober 1 on 200 screens.

Warner Bros has taken alltheatrical and video rights to the action-packed wuxia extravaganza;separately, Fortissimo has also sold Japanese TV rights to Nine Entertainment.

Starring Donnie Yen, LeonLai and Charlie Young, Seven Swords has already performed strongly in China, where it scored a $3.15m opening weekend over 500screens at the beginning of August.

The Seven Swords dealstrengthens Warner's position as a heavyweight distributor of Asian fare inJapan, having previously handled Hero, House Of Flying Daggersand Windstruck. While a deal in English-speaking territories has yet toemerge, Seven Swords has sold to several countries including Italy's Medusa and Filmax in Spain.

The announcement was made byFortissimo co-chairman Michael J. Werner, Lee Joo-Ick and Iseki Satoru of BoramEntertainment and William Ireton, managing director of Warner Bros. PicturesJapan.