Agreement Covers SVOD and TVOD Streaming Rights for
Eagerly-Anticipated Blockbusters Including Mockingjay 2,
Allegiant, Now You See Me 2 and Deepwater
Horizon.
SANTA MONICA, Calif. and
BEIJING, Oct. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- In a move
reflecting the growing demand for premium content worldwide,
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content
leader, has signed a long-term output deal for a number of
high-profile Lionsgate and third-party feature films with
China's largest comprehensive
online video platform iQIYI, the two companies announced today.
The agreement covers subscription video on demand (SVOD) and
transactional video on demand (TVOD) rights for films streaming on
iQIYI's platforms, which possess over 500 million unique
users. iQIYI will have an exclusive SVOD and TVOD window for
Lionsgate theatrical titles covered under the agreement, and iQIYI
will enable broadcasting of these titles and make a major
promotional commitment on their platform for them.
The package comprises Lionsgate franchises, potential tentpoles
and star-driven event films including: the next chapter of the
global blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, The Hunger
Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, whose first three films have
already grossed more than $2.3
billion at the worldwide box office; the next film in the
Divergent franchise, the Divergent Series: Allegiant,
the most successful young adult franchise launched since The
Hunger Games; Now You See Me 2, the follow-up to
Lionsgate's blockbuster hit that grossed more than $350 million worldwide in 2013; and the
action thriller Deepwater Horizon, with Lone Survivor
filmmaker Pete Berg directing an
all-star cast of Mark Wahlberg,
Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson, John
Malkovich, Dylan O'Brien and
Gina Rodriguez.
The package also includes such eagerly-anticipated Lionsgate
releases as the revenge thriller Sicario, starring
Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin and Emily
Blunt; the teen thriller Nerve; The Shack,
starring Sam Worthington and Academy
Award winner Octavia Spencer in the
powerful drama based on the runaway global best-selling book;
and the musical love letter LaLa
Land, directed by Oscar-nominated Whiplash
filmmaker Damien Chazelle and
teaming the romantic duo of Ryan
Gosling and Emma Stone.
"We're thrilled to partner with iQIYI, a major game changer and
one of the largest and fastest-growing digital platforms in
China," said Lionsgate Executive
Vice President of International Sales Wendy
Reeds. "They will provide a quality showcase for our slate
of high-profile event movies, and our agreement underscores our
commitment to innovation and leadership in delivering premium
content to online audiences around the world."
Yang Xianghua, senior vice president of iQIYI, said: "In China,
more and more people are paying to watch movies online. iQIYI has
the largest online movie library in China and we have been actively purchasing
premium movie content and building in-depth partnerships with
industry players. We have enjoyed a positive long term relationship
with Lionsgate and with this agreement we are delighted to extend
and deepen our cooperation to areas including broadcast, promotion
and distribution. We hope that this cooperation between Lionsgate
and iQIYI will not only bring Chinese users an even better
selection of premium movies but will also promote more innovative
partnerships in China's online
video industry."
ABOUT iQIYI
Founded in April
2010, iQIYI is one of the largest Internet and mobile video
service providers in China. An
independently operated subsidiary of Baidu, the world's largest
Chinese search engine, iQIYI is focused on providing Chinese users
with the best possible online video experience, and has become an
industry leader in developing innovative products and
technologies.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is a premier next generation
global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in
motion picture production and distribution, television programming
and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new
channel platforms, video games 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 the
critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the
multiple Emmy Award-winning drama Mad Men, the hit broadcast
network series Nashville,
the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the
acclaimed drama Manhattan
and the breakout series The Royals.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such successes as
the blockbuster first three installments of The Hunger Games
franchise, the first two installments of the Divergent
franchise, The Age of Adaline, CBS/Lionsgate's The
DUFF, John Wick, Now
You See Me, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and
Mr. Holmes,
Lionsgate/Codeblack Films' Addicted and Pantelion Films'
Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing
Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in
box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates.
Lionsgate 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. The
Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original,
daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
www.lionsgate.com
For further information, please contact:
Peter Wilkes
310-255-3726
pwilkes@lionsgate.com
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SOURCE Lionsgate