Anchor Bay Films announced today the acquisition of all North American distribution rights to director/writer Richard Bates Jr.'s debut feature film, Excision, which made its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival last month. Produced by Dylan Hale Lewis, the horror film features an all-star cast including: AnnaLynne McCord (90210), Traci Lords (Cry-Baby), Ariel Winter (Modern Family), Roger Bart (Desperate Housewives), Jeremy Sumpter (Soul Surfer), Malcolm McDowell, Matthew Gray Gubler (Criminal Minds), Academy Award winner Marlee Matlin (Children of a Lesser God), Ray Wise (Good Night, And Good Luck) and John Waters. The deal was announced by Bill Clark, President of Anchor Bay Entertainment.

"We are pleased to be adding Excision to our slate this year," commented Kevin Kasha, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Anchor Bay Films. "It has an amazing cast and we know Anchor Bay fans will love it!"

"I have been influenced my entire life by the films which Anchor Bay has brought to audiences. I could not be more excited that they have chosen to take my film out in North America," said Bates.

Excision is the story of Pauline (McCord), a delusional teenage outcast. Pauline picks scabs. Pauline dissects road kill. Pauline fantasizes about performing surgery on strangers. Her fascinations disturb her schoolmates and her parents, Phyllis (Lords) and Bob (Bart). No one understands Pauline except for Grace (Winter), her younger sister who suffers from cystic fibrosis. An outcast at school and at home, Pauline is convinced that the best way to repair her estranged relationship with her family is to perform a risky operation to save her sister's life. A BXR Productions film, Excision is Richard Bates Jr.'s directorial debut adapted from his award-winning short film, also called Excision.

The deal was negotiated by Kevin Kasha, Josh Thomashow and Marc Barson for Anchor Bay Films; Kevin Iwashina and Christine D'Souza of Preferred Content, Cassian Elwes, and Elsa Ramo of The Law Offices of Elsa Ramo negotiated the deal on behalf of the filmmakers.