Mickey Rourke's remarkable comeback continues apace as the white-hot Oscar nominee reunites with his Johnny Handsome director Walter Hill on the action thriller St Vincent, set to begin filming later this year.

Stuart Ford's IM Global is handling international sales and has reported feverish early interest from buyers in Berlin keen to see the next powerhouse performance from Rourke, who will be seeking to add a BATFA on Sunday to his earlier Golden Globe win for his acclaimed return to form in The Wrestler.

ICM is handling North American rights to the Occupant Films and Secret Handshake Entertainment production about an assassin who masquerades as a priest in order to finish off a high level informant, only to undergo a crisis of conscience when he takes confession from his target.

Occupant's Keith Calder, Joe Neurauter and Felipe Marino will produce along with Secret Handshake's Dena Hysell and Joe Gressis. ICM represents Rourke and Hill, back together for the first time in 20 years, and negotiated the deal with Occupant's attorney Erik Hyman on behalf of the producers.

Rourke recently won the best dramatic actor Golden Globe for his performance as a washed out fighter who tries to claw back personal and professional integrity in Darren Aronofsky's The Wrestler. The role has also earned Oscar and Screen Actors Guild nominations.

Occupant Films was set up in 2005 and announced its arrival with Toronto 2006 midnight hit All The Boys Love Mandy Lane and last year's Sundance audience award winner The Wackness, both directed by Jonathan Levine. Secret Handshake is preparing Michael J Weithorn's comedy A Little Help starring Jenna Fischer and Chris O'Donnell.