Universal Pictures has boarded the action-fantasy film Viy 3D, taking rights in Russia and across CIS for the $75 million feature from Russian director Oleg Stepchenko, The Hollywood Reporter said.

Loosely based on the short story of the same name by Russian fantasy writer Nikolai Gogol, Viy 3D stars Jason Flemyng (X-Men: First Class) as an 18th century cartographer who sets off to map the uncharted lands of Transylvania, only to discover the dark woods hide deadly monsters. Viy's cast also includes Game of Thrones star Charles Dance.

Vadim Ivanov, CEO NBC Universal Russia inked the deal with Uwe Boll of Event Film and Kinostar's Michael Roesch, who are handling world sales for the title. Universal is planning a huge release for the film, setting to put Viy 3D out on more than 2,300 prints in Russia and the CIS territories, the equivalent of a Hollywood tentpole.

Alexey A. Petrukhin and Alexander Kulikov produced Viy 3D for Marins Group Entertainment and Russian Film Group. The Russian/German/U.K./Czech co-production shot at Prague's Barrandov studios and the is currently in post at CinePost in Munich, Germany. Event and Kinostar are kicking off international sales for Viy 3D at the Marche du Film in Cannes.