Lionsgate TV Sees Sales, Profit Jump On Library Sales, Post-Strike Content Deliveries In March Quarter

Selena Kuznikov Lionsgate Television has optioned journalist Adam Ciralsky’s Vanity Fair article “Take No Prisoners” to be developed as a series by showrunner Alexi Hawley. The article details the work of the U.S. Special envoy for hostage affairs and his colleagues, working for the release of Americans held captive worldwide.

Lionsgate Television is developing the series The Envoy based on the June 2024 Vanity Fair article “Take No Prisoners” from Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist Adam Ciralsky.

Angelique Jackson During CAA Amplify, Lionsgate announced the development of Story Spark, a free online tool that helps creatives and development executives measure diversity and intersectionality in storytelling. The studio describes Story Spark as a “filmmaker-first and creative-driven, collaborative and open-ended development tool,” which provides guidance toward telling more inclusive stories.

Licorice Pizza star Cooper Hoffman and HBO Industry actor David Jonsson are currently in the mix to headline Francis Lawrence’s take on Stephen King‘s The Long Walk for Lionsgate.

EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate and its Grindstone Entertainment Group have acquired the indie drama Continue, extending their relationship with writer-director-actress Nadine Crocker with a deal for multiplatform domestic distribution of her latest film.

Jackass’ Steve-O is about to have a penis tattooed on his face by Post Malone at Bonnaroo 2024.The stunt prankster turns 50 on June 13, and the following day he is set to celebrate by having his face permanently marked by his famous friend.As told to Page Six, he said: “I’m getting my first face tattoo. Post Malone is going to tattoo a dick on my forehead.

To no one’s surprise, Lionsgate remains in the “Hunger Games” business. The studio has greenlit an adaptation of Suzanne Collins‘ upcoming prequel ahead of its March 18, 2025, release date.

On the heels of its world premiere in competition as the opener for the Berlin Film Festival, the historical drama Small Things Like These, produced by and starring Oppenheimer Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, has been acquired by Lionsgate.

Lionsgate‘s MovieSphere channel will become the first major FAST (free ad supported streaming) channel to be measured by Nielsen.

Lionsgate UK has locked a deal with Zygi Kamasa’s True Brit Entertainment to release the Ian McKellen pic The Critic. 

EXCLUSIVE: The Peanut Butter Falcon filmmakers Michael Schwartz & Tyler Nilson have been hired to adapt and direct the remake of Riders of Justice for Lionsgate. Shawn Levy, Dan Levine & Dan Cohen of 21 Laps are producing. Sisse Graum Jørgensen & Anders Kjaeurhauge from the original film are executive producing. James Myers is overseeing for Lionsgate.

Jack Dunn Rian Johnson’s whodunnit franchise will soon notch its third installment with the coming production of “Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery,” pulling its title from the song by U2. While plot details remain under wraps, Johnson recently announced the return of Detective Benoit Blanc, played by series mainstay Daniel Craig, in a 45-second teaser posted to X. The original “Knives Out”, released in 2019, followed Blanc as he investigated the mysterious circumstances behind the death of mystery novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer).

EXCLUSIVE: NBCUniversal (NBCU) Global TV Distribution has struck a content deal with Asian streamer Begin.

EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate and Grindstone Entertainment have acquired rights to the comedy The Duel, exec produced by and starring Dylan Sprouse (Beautiful Disaster), in North America, as well as all other English-speaking and Latin American territories.

Lionsgate is thinking about making “lower-budget” movies for Starz as the TV streaming and linear network is set to split with Lionsgate Studios by the end of the year.

Brent Lang Executive Editor Losses shrank at Lionsgate and revenues climbed as the company’s television business rebounded from the twin strikes that had shut down production for much of 2023. Revenue at the company behind “The Hunger Games” and “John Wick” franchises topped out at $1.12 billion, up from $1.08 billion in the prior-year quarter. Lionsgate also reported a net loss attributable to shareholder of $39.5 million, which compared favorably to the prior-year quarterly losses of $96.8 million.

Good news for exhibition as Lionsgate is delivering two big releases this fall: The Dave Bautista action pic The Killer’s Game on Sept. 13 and the Mel Gibson directed Mark Wahlberg movie Flight Risk for Oct. 18. Again, we can’t be without film product in a marketplace that’s starving for volume.

Post Malone debuted an unreleased song during his performance at the 2024 Academy of Country Music Awards.Hosted by country icon Reba McEntire, this year’s ACM Awards were held at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas on Thursday (May 16).Posty performed two songs – debuting a currently unreleased song that will presumably appear on his forthcoming country album. The song seems to be about a fleeting relationship as he sings in the refrain: “It’s a long lost highway / And this road ain’t my friend / I will love you ’til tomorrow / And I’ll never love you again.” At the end, Posty said, “No one had ever heard the song before”.He then launched into a rendition of ‘I Had Some Help’.

Donnie Yen has inked a deal to reprise his role as Caine, the highly skilled, blind assassin introduced in John Wick: Chapter 4, in a new film from Lionsgate set to shoot in Hong Kong next year, the studio announced on Wednesday.

Naman Ramachandran ProSiebenSat.1 Group, which owns one of Germany’s leading broadcasters and one of its top streaming platforms, has had an encouraging start to 2024 after a rough 2023 financial year that saw revenues dip by 7%. Financial results for the first quarter of 2024, reported on Tuesday, reveal that group revenues increased by 6% to €867 million ($935 million) in the first quarter of 2024 and adjusted EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization) grew by 35% to €72 million ($77.6 million) despite higher programming expenses. The group said that in addition to revenue growth, the positive numbers are due to the cost control program implemented in the previous year.