Warner Bros is set to take NorthAmerican distribution rights on August Rush and come on board as a producingpartner.

The move was announced inCannes yesterday by production company Southpaw Entertainment, Warner Bros andsales outfit Odyssey Entertainment.

Freddie Highmore (FindingNeverland, Charlie And

The Chocolate Factory) is to star asthe eponymous August Rush, an orphan whose musical gifts lead him on a journeyto re-unite with his parents. Liv Tyler will play his young mother, while RobinWilliams is August's mysterious benefactor.

International distributiondeals are already closed with Entertainment Film Distributors for the UK, TohoTowa in Japan, Medusa in Italy, CJ Entertainment in Korea and EEAP

in Eastern Europe.

Irish director Kirsten Sheridan,whose credits include Disco Pigs, starts shooting in New Yorkin August. Legendary composer Hans Zimmer is scoring the music-driven story.

Southpaw's Richard Lewis,whose credits include Backdraft and Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves, will produce.The screenplay is by Nick Castle, Jim Hart, Lewis and Sheridan, from anoriginal story by Lewis and Paul Castro.