Lionsgate Films
- Lionsgate Films is not to be confused with Robert Altman's company Lion's Gate Films.
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| Type | Film division of Lions Gate Entertainment |
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| Industry | Motion pictures |
| Founded | January 12, 1998 (Vancouver, British Columbia as Lions Gate Films) |
| Founder(s) | Frank Giustra |
| Headquarters | Santa Monica, California, United States |
| Area served | North America United Kingdom France Australasia |
| Key people | Patrick Wachsberger (Co-Chairman) Rob Friedman (Co-Chairman) |
| Parent | Lions Gate Entertainment |
| Subsidiaries | Grindstone Entertainment Group Mandate Pictures Pantelion Films Roadside Attractions Summit Entertainment Codeblack Films (partnership with CodeBlack Enterprises) |
| Website | www.lionsgate.com |
Lionsgate Films (formerly known as Cinépix Film Properties) is a North American[1] film production-distribution company, a subsidiary of Lions Gate Entertainment. It is currently the largest and most successful independent film distributor-studio in North America. It focuses mainly on foreign and independent films, and is perhaps best known for distributing films that are too controversial for the large American companies like Fahrenheit 9/11 and American Psycho.
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History [edit]
Cinépix Film Properties [edit]
Cinépix Film Properties (CFP) was founded in 1962 by by John Dunning and Andre Link and was based in Montreal. CFP was a leading Canadian independent motion picture company releasing both English- and French-language films and making ten to 12 modestly budgeted titles annually and distributed art-house films like grunge rock documentary Hype, Vincent Gallo's offbeat Buffalo 66, and Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist.[2]
By 1997, Cinépix had a New York based U.S. distribution arm and 56 percent of Cine-Groupe, an animated film production company. Lions Gate Entertainment (LGE) purchased Cinépix in 1997 and kept its leadership.[2]
Lions Gate Films [edit]
Cinépix Film Properties was renamed to Lions Gate Films on January 12, 1998. Lions Gates' library received International Movie Group, Inc. film library, including Jean-Claude Van Damme's Kickboxer, through LGE's acquisition of the company in June.[2]
Its first major box office success was American Psycho in 2000, which began a trend of producing and distributing films too controversial for the major American studios including Lolita. Other notable films included Affliction, Gods and Monsters,[2] Dogma, Saw and the Michael Moore documentary Fahrenheit 9/11, which until the release of The Hunger Games in 2012, became the studio's highest grossing film.[citation needed]
In 2000, Giustra left the firm and it was taken over by Jon Feltheimer and Tom Ortenberg. They decided to focus on the profits of videos and DVDs and began buying struggling firms that controlled large libraries. The two most notable acquisitions were Trimark Holdings (650 titles) in 1999[2] and Artisan Entertainment in 2000.[3] The Trimark purchase also included CinemaNow, a broadband streaming website, where Lionsgate could feature its own movies.[2] These two along with other firms gave Lions Gate the second largest DVD library of any company which includes Total Recall, Reservoir Dogs, On Golden Pond, Super Mario Bros., Young Guns, Dirty Dancing and It's a Wonderful Life, in some cases via output deals with StudioCanal, ITC/Carlton, and Republic Pictures (the result of prior licensing deals with Lions Gate's home video predecessor Artisan).[citation needed]
Very rarely does Lions Gate co-produce films with major studios. For example, Lions Gate teamed with Miramax Films for the 2004 sequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights and with Paramount Pictures for 2002's Narc and 2004's The Prince & Me. Lions Gate was also a silent partner in 20th Century Fox's 2004 sci-fi film The Day After Tomorrow. And also in 2004, for the first time ever, Lions Gate joined forces with independent rival United Artists in producing Hotel Rwanda.[citation needed]
On August 1, 2005, Lions Gate Entertainment acquired the entire library of Modern Entertainment.[4][5] On October 17, 2005, Lions Gate Entertainment acquired Redbus Film Distribution for $35 million[6][7] and became Lionsgate UK on February 23, 2006.[8][9]
Lionsgate cut back its slate of films per year by four in February 2009.[10]
The Lionsgate film The Hunger Games grossed $68.3 million when it premiered at the U.S. box office on March 23, 2012. It was the best opening day ever for a non-sequel and the fifth highest of all time. Of that total, $19.7 million was earned via Thursday midnight screenings.[11] In its first weekend, The Hunger Games grossed $152.5 million, making it Lionsgate's highest grossing film after just three days.[citation needed] On January 13, 2012, Lions Gate Entertainment acquired Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the Twilight franchise for $412.5 million.[12] On May 3, 2012, Lionsgate Films pacted with CodeBlack Enterprises' CEO Jeff Clanagan by creating CodeBlack Films. CodeBlack Films will be based at Lionsgate.[13]
On January 16, 2013, Lionsgate announced a low-budget film division that will be led by John Sacchi. The division will release films under $2.5 million.[14]
Film distributor history [edit]
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Notes and references [edit]
- ^ "LGE Company Snapshot". CorporateInformation. Wright Investors Service. Retrieved October 5, 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f "Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation – Company History". Funding Universe. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
- ^ Bates, James (October 28, 2003). "Lions Gate to Buy Artisan Entertainment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ "Indiantelevision.com" Lions Gate Entertainment acquires movies from Modern Entertainment indiantelevision.com, Retrieved on June 14, 2012
- ^ "Modern Entertainment sells titles to Lions Gate". L.A. Biz. July 14, 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ Strategic Acquisition Enables Lions Gate to Self-Distribute in the UK and Adds to Company's Library and Pipeline
- ^ Redbus - Sale of Redbus Film Distribution to Lions Gate Entertainment
- ^ "Screen Daily" Redbus rebranded as Lionsgate UK screendaily.com, Retrieved on June 15, 2012
- ^ "Variety" Redbus now Lionsgate variety.com, Retrieved on June 15, 2012
- ^ "Lions Gate, Relativity ink distribution deal". Seattle Times. April 27, 2009. Retrieved 4 March 2013.
- ^ McClintock, Pamela, "[1]", The Hollywood Reporter, March 24, 2012.
- ^ "Los Angeles Times Lions Gate acquires Summit Entertainment for $412.5 million latimes.com, Retrieved on August 15, 2012
- ^ Etan Vlessing "Hollywood Reporter" Lionsgate Pacts With CodeBlack CEO Jeff Clanagan hollywoodreporter May 3, 2012, Retrieved on January 30, 2013
- ^ DAVE MCNARY "Variety" January 16, 2013 Lionsgate taps Sacchi to head even-lower budget films arm variety.com, Retrieved on February 15, 2013
- ^ a b Vlessing, Etan (August 10, 2011). "Alliance Films Takes Maple Pictures From Lionsgate". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 26, 2011.
- ^ "The Street" LIONSGATE AND NORDISK FILM CONCLUDE LONG-TERM OUTPUT DEAL thestreet.com, Retrieved on June 19, 2012
See also [edit]
External links [edit]
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