IFC Nabs James McAvoy's 'Welcome to the Punch'

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James McAvoy

IFC Films has acquired all U.S. rights to writer-director Eran Creevy’s action thriller Welcome to the Punch from Worldview Entertainment. The film stars James McAvoy as a detective pursuing a former criminal, played by Mark Strong, who returns to London from a hideaway in Iceland after his son is involved in a heist gone wrong.

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Punch, which also stars Andrea Riseborough, was produced by Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh of Between the Eyes and Brian Kavanaugh Jones of Automatik. Worldview’s Christopher Woodrow, Molly Conners, Maria Cestone and Sarah Johnson Redlich executive produced with Ridley Scott and Liza Marshall of Scott Free Productions, Xavier Marchand of Momentum Pictures, and Stuart Ford of IM Global.


"Welcome to the Punch is an ingenious action thriller featuring some of the best actors working today,” Jonathan Sehring, president of Sundance Selects-IFC Films, said.

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The deal was negotiated between Jeff Deutchman, director of acquisitions and productions for Sundance Selects-IFC Films and CAA, which repped Worldview. IM Global has international rights to the film.