Torontoand New York-based THINKFilm has acquired North American rights to NielsMueller's debut The Assassination Of Richard Nixon and will release thepicture in New York and Los Angeles on Dec 29.

TheCannes competitor will screen as a special presentation at the upcoming TorontoInternational Film Festival, and is based on real events surrounding a 1974assassination plot against the US President.

SeanPenn stars as a broken man who comes to see the disgraced leader as theembodiment of everything that is wrong with America and interfering with hisown pursuit of happiness.

Producedby Alfonso Cuaron and Jorge Vergara, written by Mueller and Kevin Kennedy, theUS-Mexico co-production also stars Naomi Watts, Don Cheadle and Jack Thompson.

"SeanPenn is his generation's greatest actor, and The Assasssination OfRichard Nixon may just be his greatest performance yet," THINKFilm head ofUS releasing Mark Urman said in a statement.

"Withstunning clarity and control, Penn, Mueller, and a brilliant cast have taken aforgotten incident fromAmerica's past and have turned it intoastrikingly contemporary look at where we could be headed today. They havesucceeded in making Sam Bicke's story immediate, touching, andterrifying."

JeffSackman, THINKFilm president and chief executive officer, and Randy Manis,senior vice president of acquisitions and business affairs, negotiated the dealwith Senator International president Joe Drake. Senator International ishandling worldwide sales.