SUBMITTED BY LClem

November 18, 2003 — Disney has acquired North American distribution rights to Walden Media's "Around the World in 80 Days," starring Jackie Chan. Budgeted at north of $110 million, "80 Days" is one of the most expensive pics ever to go into production without a U.S. distributor in place. Terms of the deal were not disclosed though pic is planned for a summer 2004 release. Disney had signed a two-year, first-look distribution pact with Walden in September 2002, but "80 Days" falls outside that pact, since the pic was in development at Walden for many years before that deal.