Leading UK independent Entertainment Film Distributors has extended its output deal with New Line Cinema for two years, whereby Entertainment will handle all New Line product in the UK until Dec 2003.

The last deal between the two companies expired in Dec 2001 when Entertainment enjoyed its biggest ever hit with New Line's The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring which grossed a whopping $89m in the UK.

Films under the new deal will include Austin Powers In Goldmember starring Mike Myers, Vin Diesel-starrer Diablo, Simone with Al Pacino, Final Destination 2 and remake of the classic man-loves-his-rat story Willard.

New Line International (NLI) president Cam Galano closed the deal with Nigel and Trevor Green of Entertainment at Cannes.

Under the original terms of all international Lord Of The Rings deals, Entertainment bought rights to the Rings trilogy regardless of whether or not they renewed with New Line through 2002 and 2003 when the second and third films will be delivered respectively. "For example, we have now struck a deal with Tri Pictures in Spain but Aurum has all three Lord Of The Rings films," said Galano.

Galano also closed an output deal with New Films in Turkey at the market for all New Line-produced films in 2002 and 2003.