Lionsgate has acquired distribution rights to the UK film Living, starring Bill Nighy, an English-language adaption of Akira Kurosawa’s classic Ikiru. Production is set to start in spring in the UK.

The drama will be directed by Oliver Hermanus and produced by Number 9 Films, Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen. Nobel and Booker Prize winner Kazuo Ishiguro wrote the script of the film.

Set in London 1952, Living centers on Williams (Nighy), a veteran civil servant who has been a cog in the post-World War II restoration bureaucracy in England. As papers stack up on his desk, Williams discovers that he has seven months to live. Now begins his quest to find meaning in his life before it slips away from him.

“Lionsgate is continuing its longstanding commitment to acquiring the best of British cinema and bringing the highest caliber entertainment to UK audiences,” said Constantine. “We are thrilled for Lionsgate UK to be continuing our relationship with Stephen Woolley and Elizabeth Karlsen on another outstanding film. We have a very strong and talented team in place, and I’m excited to be working with Emma and Marie-Claire to amplify and support British filmmaking voices throughout the region. Living is a perfect example of a story that we are confident will resonate with UK audiences, and we’re thrilled and proud to be this film’s home distributor.”

The deal marks a first for Lionsgate’s UK since the office underwent a big reshuffle following the resignation of top executives Zygi Kamasa and Nicola Pearcey. Pearcey is expected to leave by the end of the year. Living is also the first film acquired by Lionsgate in the region since the UK Acquisitions were merged with the worldwide acquisitions team overseen by Jason Constantine, present of acquisitions and co-productions for the studio.