Harvey Weinstein is within grasp of his own version of the Navy SEAL raid that resulted in the death of Osama Bin Laden after his company was poised to acquire US rights to the Cam Gigandet and William Fichtner starrer on Wednesday night (16).

In the run-up to the market much of the focus has centred on Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, which Sony will release in December in the US. However the move by The Weinsteins puts Voltage Pictures’ rival project firmly on the map.

The Weinsteins are understood to be planning an autumn release and pursued the acquisition with representatives WME Global and attorney Craig Emanuel after US buyers were shown the first trailer here in Cannes.

Voltage chief Nicolas Chartier, who shared the best picture Oscar in 2010 after he produced and single-handedly financed Bigelow’s The Hurt Locker, is producing the action thriller and has concluded a host of international sales including a deal with StudioCanal for the UK and Falcom for German-speaking Europe.

John Stockwell directs from a screenplay by Kendall Lampkin. Chartier’s Hurt Locker executive producer Tony Mark and Killer Joe executive producer Zev Foreman are also producing.

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