Fox Searchlight Pictures is in final negotiations to acquire US rights to The Good Thief, Neil Jordan's completed contemporary remake of Jean-Pierre Mellville's Bob Le Flambeur which stars Nick Nolte, Tcheky Karyo, Emir Kusturica and Ralph Fiennes.

The deal marks the end of a long quest for the film's financier Alliance Atlantis which footed the reported $30m bill for the entire project but struggled to close a domestic deal.

Ironically, in a separate deal, 20th Century Fox is also understood to be in talks to acquire domestic rights to Jordan's next film Borgia being financed to the tune of $55m by Myriad Pictures.

Shot in and around Nice last spring, The Good Thief, or Double Down as it was known, is produced by Jordan's producing partner Stephen Woolley and also features, in a leading role, newcomer Nutse Kukhianidze as the friend and love interest of Nolte's Bob.

Neither Fox nor Alliance Atlantis could be reached for comment.