MUMBAI: Lionsgate will license 139 theatrical titles to Rainbow Media, for airing on its IFC, Sundance, AMC and WE networks.
The Lionsgate’s 13,000-title motion picture and television library includes such films as Precious, Crash and Monster’s Ball, Away From Her, The Saw, Punisher, Ghost House and Horror Fest action and horror franchises, documentaries such as The Cove from Roadside Attractions, Religulous and Crosby Stills Nash & Young’s concert sensation Deja Vu. The films have been sold to Rainbow for airing in the second, third and deep catalog windows.
"This deal underscores the growing appetite for content worldwide and our continued commitment to monetize our enormous filmed entertainment library and extend the revenue afterlife of our theatrical films. The size and scope of this 139-title package illustrate the breadth and depth of our library, from some of the world’s most commercially successful genre titles to many of the most critically acclaimed prestige films of recent years. The fast-growing branded networks of the Rainbow family are the ideal cutting edge destination for these films, and the package’s diversity reflects both the depth of our library and the breadth of the Rainbow family of channels," Lionsgate Television Group president Kevin Beggs.
"We are thrilled to acquire this package of films from Lionsgate, because it is rare to find so many exciting, successful, quality films in a single place. It is a testament to Lionsgate’s prolific and prestigious library that they assembled so many groundbreaking films under one roof. This deal is another important step forward in our continuing commitment to bring our viewers some of the most original, provocative and acclaimed films in the world today," said Rainbow Media president and CEO Joshua Sapan.
The deal was structured by Lionsgate executive vice president television Rand Stoll and Rainbow senior vice president programming George Lentz.