ITV

Tag: The Hunger Games

  • The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes advance bookings open from 15 November

    The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes advance bookings open from 15 November

    Mumbai: Get ready to enter the arena ‘in advance’ – that’s right, Lionsgate and PVR Pictures have opened advance bookings for The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds and Snakes for fans across the country who wish to watch the film ahead of the official release. Fans can book their tickets from 15 November – we say, don’t miss the first day, first show on 17 November. It’s time to unleash your inner victor and step into the arena.. may the odds be ever in your favour.

    This fifth film is a prequel to the rest of the films and marks the longest film in The Hunger Games franchise. It follows a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth), the last hope for the once-proud Snow family, whose failing lineage has spelled a fall from grace in a postwar Capitol. Reluctantly accepting the assignment to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) for the 10th Annual Hunger Games, he finds the odds stacked against him. An opportunity to turn the tides with Lucy’s captivating charm forces him to battle his instincts for both good and evil. As Snow sets out on a race against time to survive, find out whether he will ultimately become a songbird…or a snake.

    Recent social media reactions to the film have earned impressive reactions worldwide, predicting the film to have a grand opening weekend.

  • Vodafone Idea and Starz launch Lionsgate Play in India

    Vodafone Idea and Starz launch Lionsgate Play in India

    Mumbai: Vodafone Idea Limited, India’s leading telecom operator and STARZPLAY, the international premium subscription platform from STARZ, a Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) company, have joined hands to launch Lionsgate’s premium service Lionsgate Play in India. This partnership will enable Vodafone Idea customers’ access to a broad portfolio of celebrated blockbusters and award-winning feature films from the studio.

    Video is the new growth driver in the digital content consumption today. Vodafone Idea’s partnership with STARZPLAY is a step towards boosting the growth of the digital ecosystem in India. The partnership will capitalize on this huge potential by offering viewers with an array of premium content across genres.

    Lionsgate Play will be available to Vodafone Play and Idea Movies & TV subscribers as a part of this strategic collaboration between the two companies. The offering includes multibillion-dollar global blockbuster franchises The Hunger Games and The Twilight Saga, multiple Academy Award ® winner La La Land and the international breakout hit Wonder, with much of it available in four local languages. The content library will be spread across genres like horror, comedy, drama, action, thriller, documentaries to name a few.

    Following the launch, the offering will boast an illustrious line up of digital premieres of Lionsgate films coming to the service in the first year including Robin Hood, Crank, Sahara, Redcliff, Jersey Shore Attack, Killers, Grudge, Letters to Juliet, American Pyscho 2, Nerve, Facing Ali, Down A Dark Hall  and American Assassin.

    Commenting on the partnership, Avneesh Khosla, Operations Director – Marketing, Vodafone Idea Limited said, “At VIL we strive to bring world class partnerships to our consumers with the singular focus to enrich their experience. With Lionsgate Play we are extremely excited at the prospect of offering premium world class English content to our consumers to enable them to enjoy the best that Hollywood has to offer.”

    “The partnership with Vodafone Idea creates an exciting opportunity to expand the Lionsgate Play offering as a premium service that delivers a vast library of compelling films and a great user experience to all of our shared customers. We are delighted to bring this premium service to India with a leading global platform like Vodafone which has such enormous reach and tremendous distribution expertise. Our partnership is the latest affirmation of the enormous role that telcos are playing in shaping the digital age of content,” said Rohit Jain, Managing Director of Lionsgate South Asia.

  • Lionsgate inks 30+ licensee partners for ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise

    Lionsgate inks 30+ licensee partners for ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise

    MUMBAI: Lionsgate is celebrating the final chapter of its blockbuster The Hunger Games film franchise with the introduction of a new collection of themed products inspired by the franchise, including offerings specific to the upcoming final installment, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, which premieres in theaters on 20 November, 2015.

     

    The merchandising program, the largest of its kind handled by Lionsgate’s internal consumer products team, includes a comprehensive, cross-category product lineup that ranges from apparel, accessories and jewelry, to the iconic Mockingjay pins from each of the films, to trend and collectible products.

     

    The themed products are being licensed in partnership with numerous partners, including global toymaker Mattel; design and merchandising company of apparel and accessories, Bioworld Merchandising; pop-culture collectible maker Funko; monthly geek and gaming gear subscription service Loot Crate; worldwide costume and costume accessories licensee Rubie’s Costume Company; and wall art, stationary and accessories manufacturer Pyramid International.

     

    The World of The Hunger Games collection delivers the most iconic moments from the past three films, including The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1. With the release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, an entirely new collection of products were developed using creative elements that focus on the climatic events from the final film.

     

    “The release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 allows us to celebrate the entire film franchise with Hunger Games fans worldwide. Our partners from around the world have created an amazing assortment of products that deliver the heart and emotion of The Hunger Games franchise,” said Lionsgate SVP franchise management, domestic consumer products Randy Shoemaker and Lionsgate SVP franchise management, international consumer products Sheila Clarke.

     

    The World of The Hunger Games products will be available at retailers and specialty stores worldwide.

  • Lionsgate extends deal with Emmett-Furla for 10 movies

    Lionsgate extends deal with Emmett-Furla for 10 movies

    MUMBAI: Lionsgate and its Grindstone Entertainment Group have extended their long-term partnership with Emmett/Furla Films for another 10 movies, several of which will be released through the newly-launched Lionsgate Premiere label.

     

    Grindstone’s collaboration with Emmett/Furla has generated a string of successful star-driven event films, including the Bruce Willis, Josh Duhamel and Rosario Dawson action adventure Fire With Fire, the crime thriller Empire State, starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and The Hunger Games franchise’s Liam Hemsworth, and the serial killer thriller Frozen Ground, featuring Nic Cage and John Cusack.

     

    The partnership’s eagerly-anticipated upcoming slate includes the heist film Bus 657, starring Robert DeNiro and Kate Bosworth, the CIA action thriller The Extraction, teaming Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz and Gina Carano, and the thriller Daughter of God, featuring an all-star cast led by John Wick’s Keanu Reeves and Mira Sorvino. The first film to release through Lionsgate’s new Premiere specialty distribution label will be The Extraction.

     

    “Grindstone is an important contributor to the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and they have established one of the industry’s most enviable track records of consistency and profitability as well as a dynamic pipeline of star-driven event films. We’re delighted to extend their productive collaboration with Emmett/Furla for another 10 films that we expect to be distinguished by the high-octane excitement, A-list talent and commercial success that have become their trademarks,” said Lionsgate co-chief operating officer and Motion Picture Group president Steve Beeks.

     

    “Randall Emmett and George Furla are among the most consistently exciting film producers in the world today, and we’re thrilled to extend and expand our partnership for another 10 films. Emmett/Furla is recognized by audiences around the world as a truly global brand synonymous with big stars, box office excitement and outsized commercial results. Our pipeline of films from world-class producers like Randall and George, combined with our access to Lionsgate’s tremendous marketing and distribution infrastructure, is an unbeatable combination,” added Grindstone president Barry Brooker and Grindstone partner Stan Wertlieb.

     

    “We’ve been part of the Lionsgate family since the earliest days of the studio, and our partnership has grown with their success. Lionsgate has emerged as a powerful creative force in the global marketplace, and we’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Steve Beeks, Barry Brooker and the rest of the Lionsgate team as well as to help launch Lionsgate Premiere, the Company’s newest label,” said Emmett and Furla.

     

    Emmett/Furla partnered with Lionsgate on the theatrical films Rambo, Wonderland, Narc and last year’s Escape Plan, starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in an action thriller that became a box office blockbuster in China and Russia on its way to grossing nearly $140 million around the world.

  • Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films signs output deal with Eagle Films

    Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films signs output deal with Eagle Films

    MUMBAI: Lionsgate’s Codeblack Films has signed an output deal with Eagle Films, a motion picture producer and distributor based in the Middle East and North Africa. 

     

    The agreement marks Codeblack’s second output deal and will enable it to distribute the films it produces or co-produces throughout the region, beginning with Lionsgate/Codeblack’s Addicted. 

     

    “Codeblack is expanding its footprint beyond the domestic marketplace. We’re dedicated to providing international growth and visibility for our content partners and look forward to pursuing additional alliances with distributors in markets around the world,” said CodeBlack Entertainment founder, CEO and president Jeff Clanagan.

     

    Eagle Films is one of the largest distributors in Western Asia and Egypt and has released Lionsgate’sThe Hunger Games and Expendables franchises as well as The Wolf of Wall Street in the region.

     

    Codeblack signed its first international output deal with Times Media Films, one of South Africa’s largest distributors, in October 2014. Three months later, Times Media launched Addicted, the first film released under the agreement, to a top 10 box office debut in its opening weekend. 

     

    Codeblack Films executive vice president and general manager Quincy Newell is overseeing the company’s international expansion initiative. The Eagle Films output deal was negotiated by Lionsgate executive vice president of international sales Wendy Reeds.

  • Lionsgate partners Buena Vista for ‘The Hunger Games’ release in Russia

    Lionsgate partners Buena Vista for ‘The Hunger Games’ release in Russia

    MUMBAI: Lionsgate and Buena Vista International (BVI) have joined hands on the theatrical release of The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, the fourth installment of the global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, in Russia and the rest of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) later this year.

     

    BVI will launch Mockingjay 2 on 19 November in all available formats including Imax 3D as part of the film’s day-and-date global rollout.

     

    “Mockingjay 2 is the next thrilling chapter of an incredible global franchise, and we look forward to creating a singular motion picture event for Russian audiences. We’re delighted to extend our partnership with our friends at Lionsgate on one of the most highly anticipated films of the year,” said BVI international distribution executive David Kornblum.

     

    “We’re thrilled to capitalize on the opportunity to extend our long and successful relationship with the BVI team around the world. Their prestige, performance and consistency speak for themselves.  We look forward to creating an epic and memorable Mockingjay 2 launch for our Russian fans, and BVI is the perfect partner to help us bring The Hunger Games franchise to the next level of performance,” added Lionsgate Motion Picture Group co-chair Patrick Wachsberger

     

    Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label has previously partnered with BVI on the Japanese release of the action thriller Red, the release of the Step Up franchise in Japan and Spain and the Japanese releases of Source Code and Tree of Life.

     

    The first three installments of The Hunger Games franchise have already grossed more than $2.3 billion at the global box office, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the tenth highest-grossing domestic release of all time. The Hunger Games trilogy of books has already sold more than 82 million copies around the world.

     

    The Lionsgate and Summit labels will continue their theatrical output deals with West Company and Central Partnership, respectively, for the rest of their theatrical slates in Russia and the CIS.

  • ‘Exodus’ dethrones ‘The Hunger Games’ at the box office

    ‘Exodus’ dethrones ‘The Hunger Games’ at the box office

    MUMBAI:  Exodus: Gods and Kings, which stars Christian Bale, in the lead has topped the U.S. box office with a whopping $24.5 million debut, leaving behind The Hunger Games: Mockingjay — Part 1, which had held the No. 1 position for the past three weeks. The Hunger Games, now it its fourth week, slid only 40 per cent, earning $13.2 million for a domestic total of $277.4 million.

     

    While reviews of Exodus were not all positive as the makers faced criticism for casting mainly Caucasian actors, Fox points out that Exodus’ opening weekend audience was quite diverse, which is promising for the film’s future. The audience was 54 per cent male, and 65 per cent were over 25 years of age. 20 per cent of the audience were African-American while 18 per cent Latino. Top grossing theaters ranged from major metropolitan cities to smaller towns such as San Antonio. Exodus also opened in several international territories, earning $43.3 million around the globe.

     

    Although December openings are known for their slower starts and longer burns, Exodus, which cost $140 million to make after tax breaks, has earned exactly what box office insiders had expected for the weekend. In the upcoming weeks, the movie will face strong competition from the forthcoming movies – The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, family musical Annie, Disney’s Into the Woods and Fox’s threequel Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb.

     

  • Lionsgate reports 10.9% revenue growth; TV Production profits quadruple: Q2-2015

    Lionsgate reports 10.9% revenue growth; TV Production profits quadruple: Q2-2015

    BENGALURU: Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation/Incorporated (Lionsgate) reported revenue growth of 10.9 per cent to US$ 552.88 million in Q2-2015 (quarter ended 30 September 2014, current quarter) from US$ 498.73 million in the corresponding quarter of last year (Q2-2014).  For HY-2015 (Six month period ended 30 September 2014), Lionsgate revenue fell 6.2 per cent to US$ 1002.26 million from US$ 1068.46 million in HY-2015.

     
    The company’s net income in Q2-2015 after taxes increased 41 times to US$ 20.78 million from US$ 0.51 million in Q2-2014. HY-2015 net income after tax more than quadrupled to US$ 64.04 million as compared to the US$ 14.12 million in HYT-2014.

     
    “We’re pleased that our entire portfolio of businesses contributed to our solid results in the quarter, driven by a particularly strong performance from our television operations,” said Lionsgate chief executive officer Jon Feltheimer.  “It was a quarter in which we extended our franchises into new lines of business, continued to assemble a strong pipeline of new properties with great commercial potential and developed online platforms that enhance our ability to deliver our content directly to the consumer.”

     
    Television Production Segment

     
    Revenue from the company’s Television Production segment more than doubled (increased by 140.7 per cent over Q2-2014) in Q2-2015 to US$ 154.85 million from US$ 64.33 million in Q2-2014. HY-2015 revenue from this segment rose 39.4 per cent to US$ 272.32 million from US$ 195.42 million in HY-2014.

     
    Television production segment’s profit more than quadrupled (increased by 352.3 per cent over Q2-2104) to US$ 13.93 million from US$ 3.08 million in Q2-2014. HY-2015 profit increased 27.7 per cent to US$ 27.63 million from US$ 21.63 million in the corresponding six months of the previous year.

     
    Lionsgate attributes the growth to strong gains in both domestic and international television as well as home entertainment revenue from television production.

     
    Fifty-five episodes and 38.5 hours of domestic television series were delivered in the quarter, including episodes of ‘Manhattan’ , ‘Anger Management ‘, ‘Orange is the New Black’ , ‘Houdini’ , ‘Nashville’ and ‘Mad Men’ , compared to 20 episodes and 11.0 hours in the prior year quarter. Strong international sales of ‘Orange is the New Black’, ‘Nashville’ and ‘Anger Management’ were also reported in the quarter, says the company.

     
    Motion Picture Segment
     

    Lionsgate’s major segment – Motion Picture- reported 8.4 per cent drop in revenue to US$ 398.03 million in Q2-2015 from US$ 343.4 million in the year ago quarter.  HY-2015 revenue from this segment fell 16.4 per cent to US$ 729.94 million as compared to the US$ 873.04 million in HY-2014.

     
    Motion Picture segment reported a 15.4 per cent drop in profit in Q2-2015 to US$ 57.95 million from US$ 68.81 million in Q2-2014. For HY-2015, profit was up 11.4 per cent at US$ 136.68 million as compared to the US$ 122.65 million during the corresponding period of last year.

     
    Within the Motion Picture segment, theatrical revenue declined to US$ 44.9 million with only two wide theatrical releases in the quarter, ‘The Expendables 3’ and ‘Step Up All In’, compared to a prior year quarter that included two wide releases, continuing revenue from the May 2013 release of ‘Now You See Me’ and the record-setting Spanish-language release ‘Instructions Not Included’ from Pantelion Films reveals the company.

     
    The company reveals further that Lionsgate’s home entertainment revenue for the quarter was US$ 164.4 million compared to US$ 209.9 million in the prior year quarter due to strong performances from the Managed Brands slate and ‘Now You See Me’ in the prior year quarter partially offset by the outstanding home entertainment performance of Divergent in the current quarter. Home entertainment revenue from television production increased in the quarter due to gains in digital media revenue.

     
    Bolstered by the pay television window opening for ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ and the free television window opening for ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1’ , television revenue included in the Motion Picture segment more than doubled to US$ 69.4 million in the quarter compared to US$ 34.6 million in the prior year quarter.

     
    International Motion Picture segment revenue (excluding Lionsgate U.K.) for the quarter was US$ 75.6 million compared to $US 88.7 million in the prior year quarter with three wide release titles in worldwide release compared to five in the prior year quarter. Lionsgate UK reported revenue of US$ 37.3 million in the quarter increased 38 per cent compared to the prior year quarter.

     
    Lionsgate is a global entertainment company with a 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.

     
    Lionsgate currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning ‘Mad Men’ and ‘Nurse Jackie’, the comedy ‘Anger Management,’ the broadcast network series ‘Nashville’, the syndication success ‘The Wendy Williams Show’ and the critically-acclaimed hit series ‘Orange is the New Black.’

     
    Its feature film business has been fuelled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first two installments of ‘The Hunger Games’ franchise, ‘The Hunger Games’ and ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, the first installment of the ‘Divergent’ franchise, ‘Now You See Me’, ‘John Wick’ , ‘Warm Bodies’ , ‘The Possession’ , ‘Sinister’ , ‘Roadside Attractions’, ‘A Most Wanted Man’, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films’ ‘Addicted’ and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included , the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the US.

     
    Lionsgate says that it handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 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.

     
    Epix is an American hybrid premium cable and satellite television network, and subscription video on demand service that is operated by Studio 3 Partners LLC, a joint venture of Viacom (specifically its subdivision Paramount Pictures), Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Lions Gate Entertainment. Viacom handles operational support for the channel, including marketing and affiliate services, through its Viacom Media Networks division. The television channel features theatrically released motion pictures, documentaries, concert and comedy specials, and boxing and mixed martial arts matches. TVGN is an American cable and satellite channel that is joint venture between CBS Corporation and Lions Gate Entertainment.

     

    Click here to read the earning release of the company

     

  • Game of Thrones actress cast in Hunger Games final films

    Game of Thrones actress cast in Hunger Games final films

    MUMBAI: Gwendoline Christie, best known for her role as the tough warrior Brienne of Tarth on Game of Thrones, has been roped in to play another military leader role.

     

    The actress, best known for her towering height, will play Commander Lyme in the final two installments of The Hunger Games film series; The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Parts 1 & 2. She’s replacing Lily Rabe, who was originally cast in the role.

     

    Rabe had to drop out due to a scheduling conflict with a previous commitment to Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare in the Park. The fourth film in the hit teen franchise is currently filming back-to-back with Mockingjay – Part 1.

     

    Lyme is one of the leaders of District 13, the district in the futuristic Panem that is rebelling against the government. She hails from District 2 and is a past victor of an unknown Hunger Games.

     

    Mockingjay – Part 1, the third of four films based on Suzanne Collins’ popular teen novels, will hit US theaters in November this year. Mockingjay – Part 2 will follow one year later again in November.

     

    Along with starring on the fantasy hit series Game of Thrones, Christie’s was last seen in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

  • Jennifer Lawrence to present at this year’s Oscars

    Jennifer Lawrence to present at this year’s Oscars

    MUMBAI: Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence (The House at the End of the Street) will return to present at the 86th Annual Academy Awards this year, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today in a press statement. Lawrence took home the golden statuette for her lead performance in Silver Linings Playbook. She is nominated this year for her supporting role in American Hustle. Previously Lawrence was nominated for her leading role in Winter’s Bone. Her other credits include X-Men: First Class and The Hunger Games series. 

     

    Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2013 will be presented on Sunday, 2 March, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, Los Angeles and televised live on American Broadcasting Network (ABC). The Oscars, produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, will be televised live in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

     

    The Oscars, hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, will air in India on Monday, 3 March live on Star Movies at 5:30 am with a repeat telecast at 8:00 pm.