James Cameron's Sanctum

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Relativity Media and Universal Pictures have teamed up to acquire the domestic rights to Sanctum, James Cameron's 3-D underwater survival action film.

Relativity's Rogue label will distribute the movie.

Deadline Hollywood has the report, noting that "every studio tried to get this film but Jim Cameron went with RML/Uni." Cameron will executive-produce, with Sanctum using the same Cameron/Pace Fusion Camera system for 3-D technology that the helmer used to shoot Avatar.

Written by Andrew Wight (Ghosts of the Abyss) and John Garvin (the Syphon Filter videogame series), the film is said to be about father and son deep-sea divers who are exploring the ocean when a crisis occurs.

The film will be low-budget by Cameron standards, costing about $30 million to make. Cameron "personally" selected Australian director Alister Grierson (Kokoda) to direct Sanctum, which will start shooting in Australia's Queensland/Gold Coast before the end of the year.