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Material Entertainment, the U.K. production joint venture between Entertainment Film Distributors and New Line Cinema, has started shooting its first project, "Run, Fat Boy, Run," David Schwimmer's feature directorial debut. Pic stars Simon Pegg, Thandie Newton, Hank Azaria and Dylan Moran. It's a comedy about an overweight loser who enters a marathon in one last desperate effort to win back the girl he dumped at the altar five years earlier.

Schwimmer directs from an original script by Michael Ian Black, with shooting taking place in and around London. Material topper Robert Jones is producing with Sarah Curtis.

New Line Intl. is handling worldwide sales, with Picturehouse taking U.S. rights and Entertainment releasing the film in the U.K.

Entertainment and New Line joined forces to launch Material in early 2005. Jones previously served for five years as head of the U.K. Film Council's Premiere Fund, and before that his producing credits included "Simon Magus" and "The Usual Suspects."