Summit enters 'Arena'

Film unit snaps up sci-fi thriller

By DAVE MCNARY

Summit Entertainment has snapped up sci-fi action thriller "Arena," penned by tyro scribes Toby Wagstaff and Darren Howell. Benderspink, along with the writers' manager, Jim Thompson, set up the project.

Story centers on a group of modern-day soldiers who are mysteriously transported from the thick of battle to a terrain-shifting landscape where they must fight the best warriors of all different eras and histories in a gladiatorial fight to the death -- or be killed by the all-powerful operators of the "Arena."

Project is the second set up by Benderspink at Summit, where the shingle's also producing the comedy "Sensei." Benderspink's also set up several projects in the wake of the WGA strike's end including "Shell Game," "Leap Year," "Emma," "Cutlass Islands" and "Spydust."

Thompson most recently produced "War" and the hip-hop documentary "Diamonds in the Rough."