Amazon Studios has acquired Nicolas Winding Refn's anticipated The Neon Demon and will release it theatrically Stateside next summer. The studio has also released the first photo from this thriller, featuring star Elle Fanning. The Neon Demon started production back in late March in Los Angeles, and this will be the director's first film with Amazon Studios.

The Neon Demon is being jointly handled by Gaumont and Wild Bunch, who previously joined forces on Nicolas Winding Refn's last film Only God Forgives, which competed at Cannes Film Festival in 2013. Gaumont and Wild Bunch co-financed and will co-distribute The Neon Demon. The Neon Demon centers on an aspiring model who moves to Los Angeles where her youth and vitality are devoured by a group of beauty-obsessed women who will go to any lengths to get what she has.

Co-written by Mary Laws and Refn, The Neon Demon stars Elle Fanning, Keanu Reeves, Christina Hendricks, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee and Bella Heathcote. Refn's partner, Lene Borglum (Valhalla Rising, Only God Forgives) produced under their Danish banner Space Rocket. Here's what the director had to say about his new film in a statement.

"One morning I woke and realized I was both surrounded and dominated by women. Strangely, a sudden urge was planted in me to make a horror film about vicious beauty. After making Drive and falling madly in love with the electricity of Los Angeles, I knew I had to return to tell the story of The Neon Demon."

Refn won best director at Cannes in 2011 with Ryan Gosling starrer The Neon Demon, which has become a near-cult movie and a major critical success. The Neon Demon brings together Refn's regular creative team: Editor Matthew Newman and composer Cliff Martinez. The Grandmaster's cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd completes the key crew. The deal was negotiated by Gaumont 's Cecile Gaget and WildBunch 's Vincent Maraval/Carole Baraton on behalf of the director. Amazon Studios was launched in June to acquire original movies for theatrical release and early-window distribution on Amazon Prime Instant Video. The Neon Demon is one of the first acquisitions scored by the banner. Their first release will be Spike Lee's Chi-Raq next month. Take a look at the first photo from The Neon Demon below, and stay tuned for more on the upcoming film.