Cinedea, a distributor-producer-talent agency, has acquired Italian rights to Michael Almereyda�s romantic adventure �Cymbeline,� starring Dakota Johnson, Ethan Hawke, Penn Badgley, Ed Harris, Milla Jovovich and Anton Yelchin.

Repped by International Film Trust, the international sales arm of Michael Benaroya�s Benaroya Pictures, �Cymbeline� world premieres Wednesday at Venice. The Italy deal adds to multiple major territories, including the U.K.�s Koch Media, Germany�s KSM, Swen Group (Latin America), Nashe Kino (CIS), Happinet (Japan), Transmission Films (Australia/New Zealand), HGC Entertainment (China) and Sookie Pictures (South Korea).

This version of �Cymbeline� � one of Shakespeare�s least-known plays � is set against an epic face-off between corrupt cops and a drug-dealing bikers� gang in a corruption-sodden U.S. city. Pic reteams Hawke and Almereyda after 2000�s �Hamlet.�

�It is a remarkable Shakespeare adventure, an extraordinary text. Ethan Hawke was the first person to join on; he recognized the challenge and drew delight from it,� said Almereyda. ��Cymbeline� has wildness, energy, extremes of emotion � that�s what drew me and the actors. There are echoes of many of Shakespeare�s great plays, though it�s officially classified as a romance, not a tragedy. It has streaks of comedy.�

Movie centers on a young love story, its �emotional drama, and a sense of misdirected love and betrayal. We did our best to keep the story intimate, but it�s often played out in unexpected settings, alternately mundane and spectacular,� Almereyda added.

Anthony Katagas produced �Cymbeline� for Keep Your Head Prods., alongside Benaroya.