Neil Marshall Acquires Leads for Period-Thriller "Centurion"

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From The Hollywood Reporter...

Michael Fassbender, Dominic West and Bond girl Olga Kurylenko are girding their loins for Neil Marshall's Britain-set sword-and-sandals thriller "Centurion," for "Slumdog Millionaire" producer Christian Colson of Celador Films.

The movie, billed as a thriller set during the Roman invasion of Britain in A.D. 117, tells the story of Quintus Dias, sole survivor of a Pictish raid on a Roman frontier fort, who marches north with General Virilus' legendary Ninth Legion, under orders to wipe the Picts from the face of the Earth and destroy their leader, Gorlacon.

Colson will produce for French-owned, U.K.-based Pathe Distribution, which is enjoying boxoffice success here with its rollout of "Slumdog."

Marshall, who also wrote "Centurion," has a good relationship with Pathe and Celador, having made "The Descent" for the pair. Pathe International will kickstart sales at next month's European Film Market, which runs during the Berlin International Film Festival.