CHERNOBYL DIARIES bought by Alcon, set for May 25 release by Warner Bros

Penned by Variety:

Alcon Entertainment has acquired North American and international release rights in Germany, Spain and Japan for Oren Peli's horror-thriller "Chernobyl Diaries."

The film will be released by Warner Bros. via Alcon's output deal on Memorial Day weekend this year.

"Chernobyl" is produced by Peli and Brian Witten ("Dark City") and directed by Brad Parker. It was financed and sold internationally by FilmNation Entertainment.

Alcon co-toppers Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson are exec producers. Production took place in September and October in Eastern Europe.

An original story by Peli, "Chernobyl Diaries" is set in the city of Prypiat that once housed the workers of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor. Story follows a group of friends who, while vacationing in Europe, find themselves stranded in the abandoned city only to discover that they are not alone.

Dave Fierson, Alcon's SVP of Business Affairs, brought the movie into Alcon. The deal was negotiated by Alcon CFO Scott Parish, Scott Edel of Loeb & Loeb and Nancy Bruington of O'Melveny & Myers on behalf of Alcon and by Alison Cohen, Linda Lichter and Micah Green on behalf of Oren Peli and FilmNation.

Peli wrote and directed "Paranormal Activity" and is the creator of ABC's "The River," a paranormal jungle adventure which premiered last week with a two-part debut. Parker served as the visual effects supervisor on 2010's "Let Me In" and makes his directorial debut with this project.

Peli is repped by CAA. Parker is repped by Paradigm.

Alcon's launching production in the spring on "Beautiful Creatures" directed by Richard LaGravenese starring Emma Thompson, Viola Davis, Jack O'Connell and Alice Englert.