LIONSGATE FORGES LONGTERM OUTPUT DEAL WITH ROADSHOW FILMS IN AUSTRALIA

Deal Is Latest Step In Lionsgate's Creation of An International Distribution Network With Blue-Chip Partners In Major Territories Around The World

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Sept. 13, 2012 /CNW/ - As part of its strategy of establishing output agreements with leading distributors around the world, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, has forged a longterm output deal with Roadshow Films, Village Roadshow Limited's distribution arm, in Australia, the two companies announced today.

"We are delighted to expand Lionsgate's longstanding relationship with Roadshow Films to encompass our full slate of Lionsgate films," said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Patrick Wachsberger and Rob Friedman. "We have successfully partnered with Roadshow in Australia on numerous films in the past, including the highly successful launch of the first film of the blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise, and this agreement is a natural evolution of our historic partnership that promises significant benefits for both partners for many years to come."

"We're thrilled to extend and expand our relationship with Patrick, Rob and the entire Lionsgate team," said Joel Pearlman, Managing Director of Roadshow Films. "This output agreement provides us with a consistent pipeline of some of the most commercially exciting films in the world, including the next three films in the blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise, from a studio that has emerged as a major force in the global marketplace, and it marks an important addition to the portfolio of product we bring to our audiences."

Roadshow Films spearheaded the launch of the first HUNGER GAMES film in Australia, generating more than $31 million at the Australian box office, one of the best-performing territories in the international marketplace. Lionsgate and Village Roadshow also partnered to achieve strong performances with the recent Australian releases of Lionsgate's WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING and SALMON FISHING IN THE YEMEN.

The deal was orchestrated by Wachsberger, Lionsgate International President Helen Lee Kim and Michael Meyer, Executive Vice President of International Business and Legal Affairs.

The agreement complements Summit Entertainment's continuing output deal with E1 Entertainment. Summit was acquired by Lionsgate in January 2012 but the Lionsgate and Summit labels remain separate.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and 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. The Company has built a strong television presence in production of primetime cable and broadcast network series, distribution and syndication of programming and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently has 23 shows on 16 networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men, the critically acclaimed series Weeds, Nurse Jackie and Boss, the new comedy Anger Management, which has been picked up for an additional 90 episodes by FX, the upcoming network series Nashville and Next Caller, the syndication successes Tyler Perry's House of Payne, its spinoff Meet the Browns, For Better Or Worse, The Wendy Williams Show, Are We There Yet? and the upcoming Orange Is The New Black, an original series for Netflix.

Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first installment of The Hunger Games franchise, which has already grossed nearly $700 million at the worldwide box office, The Expendables 2, The Possession, The Cabin in the Woods, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection, The Lincoln Lawyer and Margin Call. With the January 2012 acquisition of Summit Entertainment, the Company has now added the blockbuster Twilight Saga, which has grossed more than $2.5 billion at the worldwide box office, to its current slate, giving the Company the two premier young adult franchises in the world. Recent Summit hits include Red, Letters to Juliet, Knowing and the Academy Award-winning Best Picture, The Hurt Locker.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 15,000 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 and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

ABOUT ROADSHOW FILMS

Roadshow Films is a wholly owned subsidiary of Village Roadshow Limited (ASX:VRL). Roadshow Films is Australia's largest independent film distributor and distributes theatrical movies to cinema, video, DVD, Pay Television and free to air television in Australia and New Zealand. Roadshow Films holds the exclusive distribution rights for movies produced by Village Roadshow Pictures and distributes movies from Warner Bros., The Weinstein Company and other independent production houses.

Village Roadshow Limited (VRL) is an internationally recognised entertainment company with core businesses in Theme Parks, Film and DVD Distribution, Cinema, Film Production and Music. VRL owns Australia's leading theme parks - Movie World, Sea World and Wet'n'Wild located on Australia's Gold coast has two Wet'n'Wild water parks in the United States and is building Wet'n'Wild Sydney.

For Lionsgate corporate inquiries, please contact:
Peter D. Wilkes
310.255.3726
[email protected]

Kinley L. Cross
310.255.5114
[email protected]

For Roadshow Films inquiries, please contact:
Hayley Botes
61 3 9829 0685
[email protected]

SOURCE: Lionsgate

http://www.lionsgate.com