Source: Hollywood Reporter

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lionsgate has scooped up the rights to the Russell Crowe-starring indie thriller TENDERNESS. The studio will distribute the John Polson-directed film from GreeneStreet Films in North America, the U.K., Australia and South Africa.

Written by Emil Stern and based on the novel by Robert Cormier, TENDERNESS co-stars Laura Dern, Jon Foster and Sophie Traub. The film centers on a teenager (Traub) who becomes enthralled with a serial killer (Foster). Crowe will play a local cop who has been following the killer for years.

Lionsgate plans to release the film, which is in postproduction, in late 2007.