Stuart Ford's IM Global has made a deal with Lionsgate to handle U.S. distribution of three action pictures: Pete Travis' Dredd, Boaz Yakin's Safe and Simon West's Protection, according to Variety.

"Safe, Dredd and Protection are genre films at their best, with charismatic stars, compelling stories and intense action," said Lionsgate prexy of acquisitions and co-productions Jason Constantine.

Safe -- currently in production with Jason Statham starring -- would be the first title released under the deal, but they have not yet set a date.

Dredd starts production on Nov. 12 in Cape Town, South Africa. The project us a 3D adaptation of the comicbook series with Karl Urban starring and DNA Films producing with a $45 million price tag.

IM Global is planning a March production start on Protection, starring Dwayne Johnson. The film will shoot in New Mexico.