Lionsgate has picked up North American rights to the suspense thriller Slow Burn, says Variety.

The film stars Ray Liotta, LL Cool J, Jolene Blalock, Mekhi Phifer, Taye Diggs and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Wayne Beach (The Art of War) wrote the screenplay and makes his big screen directorial debut.

Storyline revolves around a big-city D.A. whose plans to run for mayor are stymied when a beautiful assistant district attorney confesses to a murder, saying it was self-defense.

Lionsgate will release the film in August.