Lionsgate News
Posted by dominie in Films, General, News on September 24th, 2008
According to the Los Angeles Times, its not very often we see distributors who premiere four movies in wide release over four back-to-back weekends. Actually, not ever. Just five years ago, Lionsgate was a little indie distributor whose slates sold but handfuls of tickets. Flash forward to 2008, from labor day weekend alone, Lionsgate has released Disaster Movie, the Nicholas Cage starring Bangkok Dangerous, Tyler Perry’s The Family That Preys, and the Kate Hudson romantic comedy My Best Friend’s Girl. Before the year is over, Lionsgate will unveil Bill Maher’s Religulous satirical documentary, Oliver Stone’s biography W, Saw V, and Will Eisner’s The Spirit. With the current count, Lionsgate will set a precedent, having distributed more films this fall and winter than some major studios even touch in a calendar year.
Fast track to the future, Lionsgate goes for the blitz—literally. Variety reports that Lionsgate UK has tapped Elliot Lester (Love is the Drug) to direct Blitz, based on a screenplay by Nathan Parker (Moon) adapted from Ken Bruen’s serial killer thriller. The film “centers on a serial killer who’s aiming for tabloid immortality by executing cops in southeast London.” Donald Kushner and Brad Wyman will produce the film along with Lionsgate who is also co-financing the project. Lensing is expected to begin early next year. Blitz will stand high on my to-do list when it debuts. I just screened Lester’s first directorial feature, Love is the Drug, last night. His study of a teenage boy’s obsession doesn’t seem to fall too short of a possible certain reality when it comes to longing for love in a love triangle built around sex and drugs.
In other news, Bloody-Disgusting reports that Lionsgate has acquired Gideon Raff’s Train, a remake of the 1980 Terror Train that starred Jamie Lee Curtis about “a group of American college athletes [who] unknowingly board a train that will become one deadly ride.” Raff, who had a hand in penning the screenplay, will be returning to the editing room to recut a new release for an R-rating (MPAA rated the current cut an NC-17). We are still waiting to hear on a theatrical release or direct-to-DVD/Blue-ray debut. For those that cannot wait, the current cut will preem at next months LA Screamfest Thursday, October 16.
