Studio Acquires U.S. And Canadian Rights To Third Installment Of
TRANSPORTER Franchise
Release Scheduled For Thanksgiving 2008
SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LIONSGATE(R)
(NYSE: LGF), a leading next generation filmed entertainment studio, today
announced that it has acquired U.S. and Canadian distribution rights to
TRANSPORTER 3. Jason Statham returns as iconic action hero Frank Martin in
the third installment of the EuropaCorp-produced series. The announcement
was made today by Lionsgate's Jason Constantine, head of Acquisitions and
Co-Productions, and Tom Ortenberg, President, Theatrical Films.
Olivier Megaton directs from a script written by Luc Besson and Robert
Mark Kamen. The movie is produced by EuropaCorp, TF1 Films Productions,
Grive Productions and Apipoulai Production, in association with Current
Entertainment. Besson produces for EuropaCorp. Lionsgate will release the
film at Thanksgiving, on November 26, 2008. The film will be distributed in
Canada by Maple Pictures.
Constantine expressed the studio's excitement about the project,
stating, "We are thrilled to be in business with EuropaCorp and to also
partner again with Jason Statham, who from WAR to CRANK and its upcoming
sequel, is a well known and well-loved leading man in so many of
Lionsgate's high octane action films. We are delighted to add another film
in the exciting TRANSPORTER action franchise to stand alongside such other
iconic Lionsgate franchises as SAW, Tyler Perry and THE PUNISHER."
Besson said, "We are thrilled to be sharing this experience with
Lionsgate, and happy to get along with a great marketing and distribution
team." EuropaCorp COO Pierre-Ange Le Pogam concurred, "Lionsgate is a
dynamic group, who we know will more than do justice to our dearest
TRANSPORTER opus 3. Everyone here is working hard to get ready to provoke
and inflame the market for Thanksgiving."
Constantine negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate, with Eda Kowan,
Vice President Acquisitions and Wendy Jaffe, Executive Vice President Legal
& Business Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Le Pogam
negotiating on behalf of the producers.
The film, starring Robert Knepper ("Prison Break") alongside Statham
and returning cast member Francois Berleand (PLACE VENDOME), wrapped
principal photography in early May and is currently in post-production.
SYNOPSIS
Jason Statham returns as Frank Martin, the ex-Special Forces operative
who specializes in high-risk deliveries.
ABOUT EUROPACORP
The EuropaCorp group produces and distributes films for the French and
international markets. Structured around the "vertically integrated studio"
concept, its strategy aims to control each stage of the
production-distribution cycle of its ambitious and varied films. Since the
start of its activity in 2000, EuropaCorp has produced or co-produced 60
feature-length films, including French speaking and English speaking hits
as: TAXI 2, 3 and 4; TRANSPORTER 1 and 2; ARTHUR AND THE MINIMOYS; TELL NO
ONE; DANNY THE DOG a.k.a UNLEASHED; KISS OF THE DRAGON; and THE THREE
BURIALS OF MELQUIADES ESTRADA. With annual revenue of 158.7 million euros
and net income of 8.2 million euros for the financial year to 31st March
2007, EuropaCorp is one of Europe's leading independent film studios. For
further information: http://www.europacorp-investors.com
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is a leading next generation filmed entertainment studio with
a major presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures,
television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment,
video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company is leveraging
its content leadership and marketing expertise through a series of
partnerships that include the operation of the highly successful FEARNet
branded VOD and Internet horror channel with Sony and Comcast, the recent
announcement of the fall 2009 launch of a new premium entertainment channel
with partners Viacom, Paramount Pictures and MGM, investment in the leading
young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, ownership of the
premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury LLC and
an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and
distribution company Roadside Attractions. Lionsgate also has forged
partnerships with leading content creators, owners and distributors in key
territories around the world, including Televisa in the U.S. and Latin
America, StudioCanal in the UK, Hoyts and Sony in Australia and Eros
International in India.
The Company has generated more than $450 million at the North American
theatrical box office in the past year and has released a string of hits,
including THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, TYLER PERRY'S MEET THE BROWNS, THE BANK
JOB, RAMBO, THE EYE, SAW IV, TYLER PERRY'S WHY DID I GET MARRIED?, GOOD
LUCK CHUCK, 3:10 TO YUMA and WAR, most of which have opened at #1 or #2 at
the box office. The Company has also forged leadership positions in
television and home entertainment with the production of such
critically-acclaimed television series as "Weeds" and "Mad Men," the
distribution of "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," "Family Feud," "South
Park," "Trivial Pursuit" and "The Dead Zone," among others, and
approximately 9% market share and the industry's leading box office-to-DVD
conversion rate in home entertainment. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and
prolific library of approximately 12,000 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
brand is synonymous with entrepreneurial innovation and original, daring,
quality entertainment in markets around the globe.
http://www.lionsgate.com
For further information, contact:
Sarah Greenberg
310-255-3856
sgreenberg@lionsgate.com
For corporate inquiries, please contact:
Peter D. Wilkes
pwilkes@lionsgate.com
310-255-3726
SOURCE Lionsgate
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Related links:
http://www.lionsgate.com
CONTACT:
Sarah Greenberg, +1-310-255-3856,
sgreenberg@lionsgate.com, or Peter D. Wilkes, +1-310-255-3726,
pwilkes@lionsgate.com, both of Lionsgate
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