France-based production studio EuropaCorp said on Friday that it has entered a distribution partnership with Pathé Films.

“We’re delighted to partner with Pathé, and to share our savoir-faire and enthusiasm with them,” EuropaCorp CEO Luc Besson said in a statement.

EuropaCorp, founded by French filmmaker Besson in 1999, has recently been evaluating ways to cut costs. Multiple media reports earlier this week suggested that the company would shut down its in-house distribution arm.

Also Read: Luc Besson Accused of Sexual Assault by Second Woman

A spokesman for the studio told TheWrap that the company was looking for ways to reduce overhead while continuing to distribute its films.

“This is the best news for us in this end of the year,” a spokesman for EuropaCorp said via email. “This partnership allows to have the best: Reduce our overhead, manage our distribution and work with the best talents in France.”

As part of the company’s new partnership with Pathé Films, it will release three EuropaCorp-produced, or co-produced, films a year for three years, starting with “Nous finirons ensemble” by Guillaume Canet and Besson’s “Anna.”

The company said that the terms and conditions of the partnership will be decided on a film-by-film basis.

The last film EuropaCorp distributed in the U.S. was Jessica Chastain’s “Miss Sloane” in 2016. That film, which had a reported budget of $13 million, earned $9.1 million worldwide at the box office, according to Box Office Mojo.

From 'Nikita' to 'Lucy' -- Luc Besson's 5 Bad-Ass Female Characters (Photos)

"La Femme Nikita" (1990)
Besson's third feature was the first to put him on the map with American audiences and the one to make him synonymous with strong female action heroes. It was a groundbreaking concept in 1990.
The Samuel Goldwyn Company
"The Professional" (1994)
As the follow-up to "Nikita," 1994's "The Professional" introduced the world to a 12-year-old Natalie Portman in her feature film debut. She became a breakout star of Besson's by wielding a gun.
Columbia Pictures
"The Fifth Element" (1997)
Described as the perfect female specimen in the sci-fi world Besson created, Milla Jovovich became the latest Besson breakout discovery for her role as Leeloo, the idealistic savior of humanity.
Columbia Pictures
"The Messenger" (1999)
Besson reunited with his "The Fifth Element" leading lady Milla Jovovich for this retelling of the iconic French warrior. Seems like the perfect fit, but unfortunately "The Messenger" got mostly negative reviews and made only $14 million at the box office.
Columbia Pictures
"Lucy" (2014)
Despite middling reviews and a C+ Cinemascore from audiences, Besson scored another hit with "Lucy," his first outing with a bona-fide movie star - Scarlett Johansson - as his kick-ass heroine. Scoring $44 million on opening weekend, the film is poised to become Johansson's biggest movie yet outside of her Marvel duties as Black Widow.
Universal Pictures

1 of 5

The French director has cemented Scarlett Johansson’s status as a action star, but she’s not the only one. Luc Besson has a long history with strong female characters

"La Femme Nikita" (1990)
Besson's third feature was the first to put him on the map with American audiences and the one to make him synonymous with strong female action heroes. It was a groundbreaking concept in 1990.

View In Gallery