LIONSGATE AND STUDIOCANAL EXPAND WORLDWIDE PARTNERSHIP,
ESTABLISH LONG-TERM AGREEMENT
FOR GERMANY AND AUSTRIA
Multiyear Agreement Is Latest Step In Lionsgate's Creation of
An
International Distribution Network With Blue-Chip Partners In
Major Territories
Around The World
Santa Monica, CA, and Paris, France, September 17, 2012 -
Building on their multifaceted worldwide partnership and
continuing the Lionsgate strategy of creating an
international distribution network with blue-chip partners in
major territories around the world, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a
leading global entertainment company, has signed a multiyear
agreement with media giant STUDIOCANAL for Lionsgate films in
Germany and Austria, the two companies announced today.
The two companies announced in May that STUDIOCANAL will
distribute the next installment of Lionsgate's global
blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise, THE HUNGER GAMES:
CATCHING FIRE, as well as announcing the long-term renewal of
the agreement under which Lionsgate distributes the
STUDIOCANAL library of more than 2,000 titles in North
America. This latest agreement extends STUDIOCANAL'S
distribution of THE HUNGER GAMES franchise in the
German-speaking territories to include MOCKINGJAY PART 1 and
2 and encompasses other films from the Lionsgate slate.
Lionsgate and STUDIOCANAL are also partnered in the Elevation
Sales home entertainment joint venture in the UK and
distribution of the Miramax library worldwide, and the two
companies joined forces on the 2010 release of the hit horror
film THE LAST EXORCISM.
"STUDIOCANAL epitomizes the kind of blue-chip partner around
whom we are building our international distribution network,"
said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Patrick
Wachsberger and Rob Friedman. "Nobody knows our business
better than they do, and their marketing prowess, brand
recognition and vision will give us continuity, consistency
and leadership in bringing our films to Germany and Austria
for years to come."
"We're delighted to expand and extend our multifaceted global
partnership with Lionsgate to encompass distribution of their
film slate in the German-speaking territories," said Olivier
Courson, Chairman of STUDIOCANAL. "This agreement provides us
with a pipeline of some of the most commercially exciting
films in the world, including the rest of THE HUNGER GAMES
franchise, from a company emerging as a major force in the
global marketplace. Lionsgate titles added to our own
STUDIOCANAL productions gives us great visibility on our
2014-2015 line up. " said STUDIOCANAL Germany CEO Rodolphe
Buet
The deal was orchestrated for Lionsgate by Wachsberger,
Lionsgate International President Helen Lee Kim and Lionsgate
Executive Vice President of International Legal & Business
Affairs Michael Meyer, and by Rodolphe Buet CEO and Alexandra
Bauermeister EVP Legal & Business Affairs at STUDIOCANAL in
Germany.
The agreement complements Summit Entertainment's continuing
output deal with longtime partner Telemunchen. Summit was
acquired by Lionsgate in January 2012 but the Lionsgate and
Summit labels remain separate.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a
strong and diversified presence in motion picture production
and distribution, television programming and syndication,
home entertainment, family entertainment, digital
distribution, new channel platforms and international
distribution and sales. The Company has built
a strong television presence in production of primetime cable
and broadcast
network series, distribution and syndication of programming
and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 23
shows on 16 networks spanning its primetime production,
distribution and syndication businesses, including the
multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men, the critically acclaimed
series Weeds, Nurse Jackie and Boss, the new comedy Anger
Management, which has been picked up for another 90 episodes
by FX, the upcoming network series Nashville and Next Caller,
the syndication successes Tyler Perry's House of Payne,
its spinoff Meet the Browns, For Better Or Worse, The Wendy
Williams Show, Are We There Yet? and
the upcoming Orange Is The New Black, an original series for
Netflix.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent
successes as the blockbuster first installment of The Hunger
Games franchise, which has already grossed nearly $700
million at the worldwide box office, The Possession, The
Expendables 2, The Cabin in the Woods, Tyler Perry's
Madea's Witness Protection and Margin Call. With the
January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company
has now added the blockbuster Twilight Saga, which has
grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office,
to its current slate, giving the Company the two premier
young adult franchises in the world. Recent Summit hits
include Red, Letters to Juliet, Knowing and the Academy
Award-winning Best Picture, The Hurt Locker.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader
in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion
rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of
approximately 15,000 motion picture and television titles
that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves
as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core
businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous
with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets
around the world.
About STUDIOCANAL
STUDIOCANAL is a subsidiary of the CANAL+ Group. It is one of
Europe's leading companies in the market for co-production,
acquisition, distribution and sale of international feature
films. STUDIOCANAL is the only studio operating
simultaneously in the three main European territories -
France, the United Kingdom, Germany - as well as in Australia
and New Zealand. The company distributes a total of more than
50 films a year. Additionally, STUDIOCANAL owns one of the
most important libraries in the world, with more than
5,000
international titles.
STUDIOCANAL's Production ambitions have recently included
TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY, based on John le Carré's
bestseller, directed by Tomas Alfredson, starring Gary
Oldman, Colin Firth and Tom Hardy and produced by Working
Title.
The film was number one at the UK box-office for 3 weeks and
grossed over $85 million worldwide.
This year STUDIOCANAL will finance the Coen's INSIDE LLEWYN
DAVIS, with Justin Timberlake, Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan
and John Goodman; Susanne Bier's SERENA, starring Bradley
Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence; Dan Mazer's hotly anticipated
comedy I GIVE IT A YEAR with Rose Byrne and Simon Baker, and
TWO FACES OF JANUARY based on a Patricia Highsmith novel,
starring Viggo Mortensen, Kirsten Dunst and Oscar Isaac,
currently in Production.
Beginning of next year, PADDINGTON, produced by Harry
Potter's producer, David
Heyman will start shooting; PADDINGTON is based on the
famous, and hugely popular, bear in the duffle coat loved by
families worldwide.
STUDIOCANAL also has an exclusive deal with Belgian company
nWave, a European leader in 3D production. In 2012,
STUDIOCANAL will release the sequel to SAMMY's adventures.
SAMMY's first film, released in 2010, grossed $85 million
worldwide. A documentary, AFRICAN SAFARI 3D will also
follow.
Finally, in January 2012, STUDIOCANAL became a major
shareholder in Tandem Communications, one of the leading
European companies for international primetime Event TV
productions and worldwide distribution of quality television
programs (PILLARS OF THE EARTH, LABYRINTH, WORLD WITHOUT
END…).
For Lionsgate corporate inquiries, please contact: Peter D.
Wilkes
310.255.3726 pwilkes@lionsgate.com
Kinley L. Cross
310.255.5114 kcross@lionsgate.com
For STUDIOCANAL inquiries, please contact: Sophie
Kopaczynski
+33 1 71
35 19 20 sophie.kopaczynski@studiocanal.com
Martin Wieandt
+49 (30)
810969 305 martin.wieandt@studiocanal.de
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