Following in the footsteps of box office hit Madea'sFamily Reunion, Lionsgate has pickedup worldwide rights to Daddy's Little Girl, the third film starring, written and directed by Tyler Perry.

The company has fast-trackedthe film for a June production start and a theatrical release in Feb 2007,hoping for a repeat of the success of the Feb 2005 hit Diary Of A Mad BlackWoman and Madea's Family Reunion, which opened on Feb 24 this year and has so fargrossed over $55m.

Perrywill write the new film and produce with Reuben Cannon. The film is a reverseCinderella story about a young, beautiful and successful female attorney whofalls in love with a single father of three daughters who works as a janitor inher office building.

The deal was negotiatedfor Lionsgate by president of production Michael Paseornek and Peter Block,president of acquisitions and co-productions. Charles King of WilliamMorris Agency and Matt Johnson of Ziffren Brittenham negotiated on behalf ofTyler Perry.

The multi-talented Perryis nearing the end of his two-year stage tour of Madea Goes To Jail, while another of his productions Meet The Browns is also on the road across the US. A new book, Don'tMake A Black Woman Take Off Her Earrings: Madea's Uninhibited Commentaries OnLife And Love is set to be publishedon April 11, while Perry has also produced a ten-episode TV series called HouseOf Payne starring Allen Payne.