Twisted Pictures and Lions Gate Films Announce First of Nine Pics
Under New Deal
Film to Star Shannyn Sossamon and Alecia Moore aka Pink
SANTA MONICA, Calif., March 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Twisted Pictures,
the genre division of Evolution Entertainment, and Lions Gate Films, the
motion picture acquisition, production and distribution arm of Lions Gate
Entertainment (NYSE: LGF; Toronto), announced today that CATACOMBS will be the
first picture in their new nine-picture financing and distribution deal
together. Starring Shannyn Sossamon (A KNIGHT'S TALE) and Alecia Moore aka
Pink, the film is co-written and co-directed by David Elliot and Tomm Coker
and will begin principal photography in Bucharest, Romania on March 7th.
Twisted Pictures' Mark Burg, Oren Koules, and Gregg Hoffman are producing.
Peter Block, President of Acquisitions, Television and Co-Productions and
Jason Constantine, Senior Vice President of Acquisitions, will oversee the
production for Lions Gate Films, which is handling worldwide distribution on
the film.
Twisted Pictures' first film under the new label, SAW, also distributed by
Lions Gate, was one of the most profitable films of 2004. Produced for
$1.2 million, the film has grossed over $50 million domestically and nearly
$100 million worldwide. The title debuted as the #1 new release in video
sales and rentals with 4 million units sold in the United States and Canada
last week. Under their nine picture deal with Lions Gate, Twisted Pictures
will finance and produce films exclusively in the horror / action genre.
CATACOMBS is the story of a young woman on her first visit out of the
country. While in Paris, she is taken to an underground party in the
Catacombs, a labyrinth of over 200 miles of 14th Century limestone tunnels
under the Left Bank of the city, lined with the remains of 7 million people.
When she is separated from her friends and becomes convinced that someone or
something is chasing her, her vacation becomes a terrifying nightmare.
"The stories we are attracted to tend to deal with universal fears --
being trapped, being lost, claustrophobia, etc.," said Twisted's Burg, Koules
and Hoffman. "Coker and Elliot's CATACOMBS script deals with them all, and is
set in a location that is truly one of the most terrifying on earth. They
have a tremendous vision for the film, and we look forward to supporting this
new and exciting filmmaking team."
"David Elliott and Tomm Coker have crafted a nerve-shattering spookfest
with CATACOMBS, and the unique setting shows our commitment to try new things
with our Twisted Pictures venture," said Block.
Elliot, along with writing partner Paul Lovett, has written numerous
screenplays for almost every major studio. Most recently, they wrote FOUR
BROTHERS for Paramount, a film which is in production and stars Mark Wahlberg,
Tyrese and Andre 3000. Paramount has also tapped Elliot to adapt their summer
tent-pole actioner G.I. JOE. He also wrote and directed the indie feature
NOTHING SACRED.
Making his feature film directorial and writing debut with CATACOMBS,
Tomm Coker previously wrote and directed the festival award-winning short
A DAY BETWEEN. In addition, Coker is a prolific illustrator in the comic book
and graphic novel world, having drawn such characters as Wolverine from the
X-Men series and Batman. He also co-created the critically acclaimed
comic-book series BLOOD AND WATER.
CATACOMBS was brought to Twisted Pictures by Ford Gilmore of Illuminati
Entertainment and Chad Cole of Evolution Entertainment. Jeff Frankel of
Colden, McKuin and Frankel negotiated the deal on behalf of Elliot and Coker,
with David Fox and Leslie Abell of Myman, Abell, Fineman, Greenspan & Light
representing Twisted Pictures.
Lions Gate is the premier independent producer and distributor of motion
pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and
video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of
approximately 8000 titles is one of the largest in the entertainment industry.
The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality
entertainment in markets around the world.
http://www.lgf.com
CONTACT:
Sarah Greenberg Russell Nelson
310-255-3856 310-255-3858
sgreenberg@lgf.com rnelson@lgf.com
SOURCE Lions Gate Entertainment
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Related links:
http://www.lgf.com
CONTACT:
Sarah Greenberg, +1-310-255-3856,
sgreenberg@lgf.com, or Russell Nelson, +1-310-255-3858,
rnelson@lgf.com, both of Lions Gate Entertainment
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