StudioCanal has announced the acquisition of two new English-language projects which comprise four films in total.

The first, The Red Riding Trilogy, is based on a series of cult British crime novels by David Peace inspired by the true story of the Yorkshire Ripper. The second, Cotton, is a faux-documentary suspense film from producers Strike Entertainment and Eli Roth.

The Red Riding Trilogy is a set of three films - 1974, 1980 and 1983 - to be directed by Julian Jarrold, James Marsh and Anand Tucker, respectively. Each is currently in post-production and produced by Michael Winterbottom and Andrew Eaton's Revolution Films. Tony Grisoni adapted the novels for the screen.

The three films include actors who will both take part in only one film and some who will do crossover work. Overall, the cast includes Rebecca Hall, Sean Bean, Peter Mullan, Mark Addy, Warren Clarke and Andrew Garfield.
StudioCanal will show images from the three films which will be ready in early 2009.

Cotton comes from directors Huck Botko and Andrew Gurland and will shoot early next year. The story, told in a faux-documentary style, à la Blair Witch, follows an evangelical minister who agrees to one last exorcism with life-changing consequences.