Lee's Deacon has global Focus

Producer falls under U arm

By IAN MOHR

Lee

NEW YORK -- Producer Damon Lee ("Undercover Brother") is anchoring his Deacon Entertainment at Focus Features by inking a first-look pact that will see the Universal arm taking worldwide rights on Deacon projects.

Focus production prexy John Lyons and veep Kahli Small will additionally develop titles with Lee, including upcoming feature "Holidaze."

"Damon's experience in the field will provide us with a diverse range of material," Lyons said. "His extensive relationships with African-American filmmakers will produce projects that cover a wide spectrum of genres."

Apart from the Focus deal, Deacon is developing the Brad Silberling project "Lost Boys of Sudan" with Outlaw Prods. for Paramount as well as "Ralph" with Imagine Entertainment and Urban Entertainment for U.

Lee is further producing two projects for New Line, "Whitebread" with New Redemption and "Diesel Debutante" with Urban Entertainment, where Lee formerly served as prexy.

The move expands the Focus slate in the urban-skewing marketplace. The brand previously released "Deliver Us From Eva."

Focus co-heads James Schamus and David Linde said some Deacon pics will be released through the Focus genre label Rogue Pictures.

Focus has Walter Salles' "The Motorcycle Diaries" in release; Rogue is handling "Shaun of the Dead."