Universal nabs Jessica Chastain's female-led spy film

Cannes — In one of the biggest sales of the Cannes Film Festival, Universal Pictures has acquired the female-led spy thriller 355, which Jessica Chastain has promoted as an antidote to male-centered action films.

Universal on Saturday closed the sale of the highly touted project.

Earlier this week, Chastain and co-stars Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard, Lupita Nyong'o and Fan Bingbing posed for photographers and pitched the film to potential buyers.

Top Secret No More. Mission Accepted. #355Movie #??355 #CannesYouHandleUs

A post shared by Jessica Chastain (@jessicachastain) on May 10, 2018 at 4:10am PDT

Simon Kinberg, director of the upcoming X-Men film Dark Phoenix, in which Chastain co-stars, is slated to direct the film. With an approximate budget of $75m, 355 was one of the highest-profile projects up for sale in Cannes, the world's largest film market.

Deadline first reported the deal.