By ANGELA DAWSON

Front Row Features

John Leonetti is set to director the horror film “Wish Upon” for Broad Green Pictures. CR: Broad Green

RLJ Entertainment has acquired all North American rights to the upcoming thriller “I.T.,” directed by John Moore (“Good Day to Die Hard,” “Max Payne”), and written by Dan Kay (“Pay the Ghost”) and William Wisher, Jr. (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”).  The film stars Pierce Brosnan (“The November Man,” “James Bond” franchise), Anna Friel (“Limitless”), Stefanie Scott (“Insidious: Chapter 3”) and James Frecheville (“Animal Kingdom:).  RLJE plans to release I.T. in theaters and On Demand in September.  Mark Ward, RLJE’s chief acquisitions officer, made the announcement today.

“We’re excited to work with the very talented Pierce Brosnan,” said Ward in a statement. “With Brosnan’s mass appeal and a well-written script with exciting twists and turns, the film will prove to be an audience favorite.”

“I.T.” tells the story of Mike Regan (Brosnan), a successful, self-made man who has it all: a gorgeous wife, a beautiful teenage daughter and a sleek, state-of-the-art “smart home.”  But he soon finds himself in a deadly, high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse when his I.T. consultant, Ed (Frecheville), starts using his skills to stalk Mike’s daughter and endanger his family, his business, and his life.  In a world where there is no privacy, and personal secrets can go viral by the click of a mouse, Mike needs to rely on his old connections to defeat a new kind of nemesis.

The action thriller is produced by David T. Friendly (“Little Miss Sunshine”), Beau St. Clair (“The Thomas Crown Affair”), Nicolas Chartier (“The Hurt Locker,” “Dallas Buyers Club”), and Craig J. Flores (“300”), and is executive produced by Brosnan, Dominic Rustam (“Burying the Ex”) Frank Hildebrand (“Into the Wild”), Elika Portnoy (“Beasts of No Nation”) and Valentina Gardani (“Pay the Ghost”).

Ward from RLJE negotiated the deal with Voltage on behalf of the filmmakers.

John Leonetti, known for directing the horror movie “Annabelle” and for his cinematography on box office successes including “The Conjuring” and “Insidious,” has signed on to direct “Wish Upon,” a horror thriller for Broad Green Pictures. The feature, named to the 2015 Black List, was written by Barbara Marshall (“The Listener”) and will be produced by Busted Shark Production’s Sherryl Clark (“Cloverfield”). The movie is scheduled to begin production this fall.

When 16-year-old misfit Claire finds a magic box that promises a chance at the life she’s always wanted, she never could have guessed that each wish would demand a deadly payment.

“We are thrilled that John has come onboard to direct “Wish Upon,” said Broad Green Pictures’ Chief Creative Officer Daniel Hammond in a statement. “His impeccable eye towards realism and talent for catching audiences off-guard will, without a doubt, make this film unforgettable.”

The deal was brokered on behalf of Leonetti by CAA and Andrew Hurwitz, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz, PC.