Signing Reflects Continued Growth of Company's
Alternative Programming Roster
SANTA MONICA, Calif. and
VANCOUVER, British Columbia,
Jan. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/
-- Reflecting the continued growth of its programming
business, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) has formed a joint venture
with renowned executive producer Jeff
Apploff to create original nonscripted series and formats
for Lionsgate Television through his Apploff Entertainment
banner. The deal was announced today by Lionsgate Executive
Vice President Alternative Programming Jennifer
O'Connell.
Under the agreement, Lionsgate will have exclusive rights to
television content produced by Apploff Entertainment. Already
one of the largest independent television businesses in the world,
Lionsgate Television Group, headed by Television Group Chairman
Kevin Beggs and Television Group
President Sandra Stern, continues to
scale its nonscripted operations alongside its leadership in
premium scripted content.
In addition to the Apploff deal, the Company is readying the
network reality series Kicking & Screaming for FOX and
Candy Crush in partnership with CBS and Activision's King
Digital Media. Lionsgate's growing slate of alternative
programming, spanning network, cable, and digital platforms,
includes Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian,
premiering on January 12th
on E!, and an upcoming series starring superstar Kevin Hart for the Company's Laugh Out Loud
streaming platform. Lionsgate has also invested in leading
reality producer Pilgrim Media Group.
"Jeff is a world-class showrunner, a respected collaborator and
a prolific creator of high-end unscripted content with global
appeal," said O'Connell. "As Lionsgate Television expands its
alternative programming portfolio to include big formats that can
travel around the world, we're fortunate to add Jeff and his
talented team at Apploff Entertainment, including Wes Kauble and Danielle
Peress, as rich sources of incredible shows and
formats."
"I've built my entire career surrounding myself with amazing
people who do incredible things, and Kevin, Sandra, Jennifer, Brian
and the rest of the Lionsgate team are beyond exceptional," said
Apploff, the President & CEO of Apploff Entertainment.
"The opportunity for us to partner with a prestigious studio
ramping up its unscripted slate was a no-brainer. Together we
will form a creative force laser-focused on collaborating with top
broadcasters and leading platforms to deliver quality content to
audiences around the world."
Apploff Entertainment is a cutting edge production company that
specializes in creating, developing and producing world-class
content and groundbreaking formats globally in all forms of media.
The company is renowned for its work with top broadcast networks,
as well as creating and packaging custom content for world-famous
mobile apps, celebrities and beloved brands.
Most recently, Apploff created the primetime musical game
show Beat
Shazam for FOX, which will be produced in
conjunction with Mark Burnett.
He also sold an original musical competition show and is
preparing to shoot the broadcast pilot this year. Previously,
Apploff executive produced the primetime network game
show BOOM! for FOX, alongside Keshet and Dick
Clark Productions. He also created and executive produced on
the series Don't Forget the Lyrics! and Let's
Ask America. In addition, Apploff served as executive
producer on Take Me Out, Total Blackout,
and Million Dollar Money Drop.
The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Laura Kennedy, Executive Vice President of
Television Operations & Corporate Development, Audrey Lee, Executive Vice President &
Deputy General Counsel, Rahwa Ghebre-Ab, Vice President, Business
& Legal Affairs, and Brian
Tannenbaum, Vice President, Unscripted Television.
Apploff is represented by WME and Abrams, Garfinkel, Margolis
& Bergson LLP.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next
generation global content leader with a diversified presence in
motion picture production and distribution, television programming
and syndication, premium pay television networks, home
entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures
and games and location-based entertainment.
With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio
of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving nearly
25 million subscribers and the STARZENCORE platform with over
31 million subscribers. The combined company will operate
five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the Starz app
delivering content directly to consumers.
The Company's feature film business spans eight labels and
includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise,
the Now You See Me and John
Wick series, the critically-acclaimed box office
hit La La Land, which won a record-breaking seven
Golden Globes, Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry's Boo! A Madea Halloween, CBS Films/Lionsgate's Hell or
High Water, Roadside Attractions' Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack
Films' breakout concert film Kevin
Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films'
Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing
Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
One of the largest independent television businesses in the
world, Lionsgate's slate of premium quality series encompasses
nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks. These
include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan
favorite Nashville, the
syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the acclaimed
drama The Royals, the Golden Globe-nominated Casual,
the breakout success Greenleaf and hit Starz series
including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor's
Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay
television series of 2016.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in
box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates.
Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more
than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an
important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation
for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate,
Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original,
daring, quality entertainment in markets around the
world. www.lionsgate.com
MEDIA CONTACT:
David Gardner
The Lippin Group for LIONSGATE
323-965-1990
dgardner@lippingroup.com
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SOURCE Lionsgate