Santa Monica-based Lightning Entertainment has acquired worldwiderights excluding Australia and New Zealand to Prodigy Movies' survivalthriller The Reef.

Lightning co-presidents Rich Goldberg and Richard Guardian are takingtheir first executive producers on Andrew Traucki's tale of a group ofholidaymakers in Australia who are terrorised by a giant shark aftertheir boat capsizes. Principal photography is set to take place in andaround the Australian Great Barrier Reef in March 2009.

Pre-sales have closed with Momentum Pictures in the UK, Film Depot inRussia, Alliance Entertainment in Canada and Pasatiempo in EasternEurope. A deal with Japan is believed to be imminent.

'The Reef is a great story that will unfold on screen with amazingvisuals,' Guardian said. 'Juxtaposing the beautiful waters surroundingAustralia's Great Barrier Reef with the menace of a man-eatingpredator, the film will have audiences enthralled.'

Lightning's slate includes crime drama La Linea starring Andy Garciaand Ray Liotta, Jada Pinkett Smith's drama The Human Contract, sportsdrama Forever Strong and thriller The Shortcut from LeomaxEntertainment.

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