Mel Gibson’s ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ Sells to YooZoo Pictures for Chinese Distribution

The director’s World War II drama is the Chinese company’s first major acquisition

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Mel Gibson’s next war movie, “Hacksaw Ridge,” has secured Chinese distribution.

YooZoo Pictures, the new motion picture division of parent company Youzu Interactive, announced on Monday it acquired the rights from IM Global, along with a presentation credit in other international territories.

The deal, negotiated by Wei Han on behalf of YooZoo and David Jourdan on behalf of IM Global, marks the company’s first high-profile buy.

Gibson is directing Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn and Sam Worthington in the drama based on the true story of Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector in U.S. history to win the Congressional Medal of Honor. Robert Schenkkan and Randall Wallace wrote the screenplay.

Bill Mechanic’s Pandemonium Films and David Permut’s Permut Productions are producing the film, which is financed by Cross Creek.

Brian Oliver is a producer, along with co-producers Terry Benedict and Steve Longi, as well as associate producer Gregory Crosby.

Lionsgate will handle U.S. distribution of Gibson’s first directorial effort since 2006’s “Apocalypto.” A decade before that, Gibson won two Oscars for producing and directing “Braveheart.”

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