Paramount Pictures International has acquired UK, Australia, New Zealand and South African rights to Kenneth Branagh's Sleuth.

The film, recently shot at the UK's Twickenham Film Studios, stars Jude Law and Michael Caine in an updated version of Anthony Shaffer's play, with a new script by Harold Pinter. The screenplay is Pinter's first in more than 10 years.

Law is also producing the film along with Branagh, Simon Halfon, Simon Moseley and Marion Pilowsky. Ben Jackson, Law's producing partner in Riff Raff Productions, is co-producing. Castle Rock's Martin Shafer is executive producing.

The story follows a detective fiction writer (Caine) and an out-of-work actor (Law) who is having an affair with the writer's wife.

Andrew Cripps, president of PPI said: 'We are delighted to be distributing Sleuth in the English-speaking markets and look forward greatly to working with Jude Law and the talented team behind the film.'

Law said: 'Shaffer's play is a brilliant piece of drama and Harold Pinter has taken its essence and brought it right up to date with a very clever, biting and funny script. It was also very exciting to be working with Michael Caine for the first time and to have secured Kenneth Branagh to direct, who brings the perfect combination of wit and intelligence to the project.'

Branagh added: 'Harold Pinter's freedom with the material makes it a new film, not a remake, and the enthusiasm of these two great actors was very exciting.'

Haris Zambarloukos is serving as cinematographer with Tim Harvey as editor.

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