By Vladimir Soldatkin

Russian-born tycoon Len Blavatnik has acquired a British cinema distribution business from Hollywood star Mel Gibson, Russian business daily Vedomosti reported on Tuesday.

Blavatnik's Access Industries bought Icon Group, which owns rights to around 500 films including the Oscar-winning Dances With Wolves, the newspaper reported without specifying the value of the deal.

A major shareholder in British oil company BP's Russian venture TNK-BP , U.S. citizen Blavatnik bought 50 percent of Russian film production company Amedia for $45 million in 2005.

Access has bought "more than a controlling stake in Icon UK" from Gibson and partner Bruce Davey, the head of Access Industries business in the CIS, Alex Genin, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

Another firm controlled by Blavatnik, Lyondell Chemical Co, is creaking under its debt burden and is in the process of reorganisation.