Lionsgate Picks Up CABIN IN THE WOODS With Amy Acker, Richard Jenkins, et al. for Spring Release

LIONSGATE® (NYSE: LGF), a leading global entertainment company, acquired worldwide distribution rights to the horror film THE CABIN IN THE WOODS from MGM and scheduled the film to be released on April 13, 2012, it was announced today jointly by Joe Drake, President of the Motion Picture Group, and Jason Constantine, President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions. The company will be distributing the film in North America and the UK, with Lionsgate's international sales team handling overseas sales.

The film was co-written by Joss Whedon (BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, FIREFLY, the upcoming Marvel film THE AVENGERS) and writer Drew Goddard (CLOVERFIELD, LOST, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), and marks Goddard's directorial debut. Whedon also produced the film, which he has described as "the horror movie to end all horror movies." The film is wildly imaginative and intensely horrific, toying with every convention of its genre while at the same time raising their stakes exponentially.

THOR's Chris Hemsworth stars as a young professional who visits a quaint cabin in the woods with a group of friends and ends up scratching the surface of something so massive and horrific that they can only begin to fathom it as time quickly runs out.

Richard Jenkins (LET ME IN), Bradley Whitford (THE WEST WING), Kristen Connolly (THE HAPPENING), Brian J. White (STOMP THE YARD), Amy Acker (ANGEL), Fran Kranz (DONNIE DARKO), and Jesse Williams (BROOKLYN'S FINEST) also star in the film.

"This is a movie that operates on many levels, and it works gloriously on every one of them," said Joe Drake. "There is intense fan anticipation for this film, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver what we're sure will be a major zeitgeist movie and an instant horror classic- and on a Friday the 13th no less."

Added Constantine, "Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard are two filmmakers who I have long admired, and it's an honor and a delight to be in business with them. They've made an incredibly terrifying, mind-blowing movie that simultaneously celebrates and innovates the genre that they both know and love so well."

Said Goddard, "Lionsgate's passion and enthusiasm for our movie has been so overwhelming, I had to go back and make sure we didn't accidentally screen The Godfather for them. Fortunately, we did not. We couldn't be happier at our new home."

Added Whedon, "I'm thrilled that Cabin has landed at Lionsgate because they get and love the film and I'm excited to be working with them on the release."

Negotiations on behalf of Lionsgate were overseen by Constantine along with Lionsgate's SVP of Acquisitions Eda Kowan and EVP of Business & Legal Affairs Wendy Jaffe.

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