Lionsgate Forges Output Deal With Belgium's Belga Films
By: Caryn Robbins Nov. 01, 2012
As part of its strategy of establishing output agreements with leading distributors around the world, Lionsgate, a leading global entertainment company, has forged an output deal with Belgium's Belga Films for distribution of Lionsgate titles in Benelux (comprising Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), the two companies announced today.
"We are pleased to expand Lionsgate and Summit Entertainment's longstanding relationship with Belga Films into an output agreement encompassing films from both the Lionsgate and Summit labels," said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Patrick Wachsberger and Rob Friedman. "From Summit's THE TWILIGHT SAGA to Lionsgate's THE HUNGER GAMES, we have partnered successfully with Belga on our big franchise films in the past, and this new agreement is a natural evolution of our productive relationship."
"We're so delighted to continue working with such professionals as Patrick, Rob and the entire Lionsgate team. This agreement is again a huge step forward for Belga," said Patrick Vandenbosch, CEO of Belga 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 installments of the blockbuster HUNGER GAMES franchise," continued Jerome de Bethune, COO of Belga Films.
The new agreement marks the latest milestone in Lionsgate's creation of an international distribution network that includes recently-formed output partnerships with StudioCanal in Germany, Nordisk Films in Scandinavia, Alliance's Aurum Producciones S.A. in Spain, Roadshow Pictures in Australia and Metropolitan Filmworks in France as well as self-distribution through Lionsgate U.K. in the UK and a self-distribution partnership with IDC in Latin America.
The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Wachsberger and Lionsgate Executive Vice President International Legal & Business Affairs Michael Meyer.
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 25 shows on 18 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 another 90 episodes by FX, the network series Nashville, 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 Possession, Sinister, The Expendables 2, The Cabin in the Woods, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection and Arbitrage. With the January 2012acquisition 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 BELGA FILMS:
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, Belga Films is the leading independent distribution company in Benelux. This year, Belga successfully released The Hunger Games, Step Up Miami, Taken 2 and is ready to hit the screens with Breaking Dawn Part 2 and The Impossible.
Over the years, it has increased its market shares in each media (theatrical, video, Digital and Television) taking profit of its extended relationship with RTL Belgium since 1998. Patrick Vandenbosch (CEO) and new partners Jerome de Bethune (COO) and Alexandre Lippens have further expanded Belga's operational sphere to meet new challenges (Production, Management, Digital and Exhibition).
Under its new label BELGA STUDIOS, Belga is currently developing movie projects in English for international appeal with a specific focus on the use of local talents
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