'Peaceful Warrior' makes noise at Lionsgate
Posted on: Monday, 13 March 2006, 08:18 CST
By Gregg Goldstein NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter)

Lionsgate has acquired U.S. rights to "Jeepers Creepers" director Victor Salva's "Peaceful Warrior," a drama about a college gymnast on a spiritual journey.

Much like its protagonist, the film has taken a long and winding journey from its origin as Dan Millman's 1980 best-seller "Way of the Peaceful Warrior." Producer David Welch nabbed the rights but found the tale difficult to bring to the screen.

In 1996, indie studio chief Mark Amin was "on a spiritual retreat at a difficult time in my life," he said. "I found this book lying on a table, picked it up, and soon I was hooked." He tracked down Welch and obtained rights to the project within a few years.

When Lionsgate merged with Amin's Trimark Holdings in 2000, Amin became vice chairman and was allowed to keep rights to certain projects, including "Warrior." After forming Lionsgate-based Sobini Films the next year, "Warrior" was one of the first films he announced. But it wasn't until late 2004 -- when Blockbuster-owned DEJ Prods. agreed to put up half of the film's $10 million budget, distribute the film domestically and obtain all domestic rights -- that the project got started.

When Blockbuster decided last year to sell DEJ, Amin said he "was afraid I would end up with a distributor who wouldn't allow me the degree of input I have now." Blockbuster agreed to keep "Warrior" out of the sale, so when it sold DEJ in November to First Look, Sobini was free to re-acquire the rights from Blockbuster, clearing the way for Lionsgate's distribution deal.

The film, starring Scott Mechlowicz, Nick Nolte and Amy Smart, is in postproduction and slated for a June 2 release.