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Lionsgate Entertainment

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Lionsgate Entertainment 

2700 Colorado Avenue, Suite 5000
Santa Monica, California 90404

http://www.lionsgate.com/

Key Executives 

Jon Feltheimer, Chief Executive Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

Jon Feltheimer, Chief Executive Officer | Source: Lionsgate

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman | Source: Lionsgate

Brian Goldsmith, Co-Chief Operating Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

Brian Goldsmith, Co-Chief Operating Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

Steve Beeks, Co-Chief Operating Officer and Co-President, Motion Picture Group | Source: Lionsgate.com

Steve Beeks, Co-Chief Operating Officer and Co-President, Motion Picture Group | Source: Lionsgate.com

Wayne Levin, General Council and Chief Strategic Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

Wayne Levin, General Council and Chief Strategic Officer | Source: Lionsgate

James W. Barge, Chief Financial Officer | Source: Lionsgate.com

James W. Barge, Chief Financial Officer | Source: Lionsgate

History

Lionsgate Entertainment has taken the entertainment world by storm by becoming the first major new Hollywood studio in 50 years. The Canadian-American company was founded in Vancouver, British Columbia, on July 3, 1997,  and is now headquartered in Santa Monica, California. The brainchild of Frank Giustra and Avi Federgreen, Lionsgate began its rise to the top by producing independent films like “American Psycho” and “Juno” that received critical recognition. [1]

Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen in "The Hunger Games"

Academy Award Winner Jennifer Lawrence  in “The Hunger Games” | Source: imdb

After the company’s acquisition of Summit Entertainment, Lionsgate took off as a leading producer of blockbuster films such as “The Hunger Games” series and the “Divergent” series. Lionsgate’s motion picture business has grossed an average of $2 billion at the worldwide box office for the past three years, joining the “Big 6” film companies at the top of the market. [2]

 In addition to becoming one of Hollywood’s top film studios, Lionsgate also possesses its own successful television group. Lionsgate’s television business has become a leading supplier of premium scripted content to broadcast, cable and digital networks. [2]

Source: amc.com

Source: amc.com

Lionsgate takes credit for some of television’s highest rated and most iconic series, including “Orange is the New Black”, “Mad Men”, and “Weeds”. Their television portfolio is now home to 30 television series spanning across 20 different networks, with over 30 primetime Emmy nominations to cement the company’s presence as a leading player in the entertainment world. [3]

 Finances

Lionsgate is celebrating a successful year after having moved up a spot to be ranked sixth among all studios for the market share of the film industry. [4] While there has been a decrease in their stock price over the last three months, from $25.40 to $20.33, the company’s stock is rising again. Screen Shot 2016-04-25 at 8.23.37 PM

 The company has seen a lucrative year with their box office total gross coming to $195.9 billion dollars. This success is largely due in part to the high-grossing “Hunger Games” franchise which ended its blockbuster run this past fall. [5]

Source: IMDB.com

Source: EW.com

Their television business has also seen impressive growth, with its revenue increasing by 30% to $580 million . [6] The company anticipates further increase in their television revenue after shows such as “Orange is the New Black” and “Nashville” were picked up for new seasons.

Right Here, Right Now

While Lionsgate has experienced great success from its distribution of film franchises such as “The Hunger Games”, “The Twilight Series”, and The “Divergent” Series, the company has noticed a change in the way these types of franchises are being received. Lionsgate was relying on the newest installment of The “Divergent” Series, “Allegiant“, to take the box office by storm. However, “Allegiant” grossed a mere $29 million dollars its opening weekend in the domestic box office, marking the lowest opening for the film franchise to date. [7]  To date, the film has made $64,403,316 at the domestic box office which compares to the over $130 million produced individually by the franchise’s first two films. 

This disappointing reception to “Allegiant” comes on the heels of another upsetting opening for the company. “Gods of Egypt”, starring Russell Crowe, has been deemed the “first big bomb” of 2016 after its February 26th release. [8] The movie only produced $30 million dollars at the domestic box office after a large marketing campaign within the United States. [9]

Source: Ew.com

Source: movieweb.com

The film struggled to gain viewership after it was accused of being culturally insensitive. “Gods of Egypt” was accused by audiences and critics of “whitewashing” after all the actors cast to portray Africans were white. The lack of diversity and representation in the film stirred controversy and protests which ultimately hurt its success at the box office.[10] However, Lionsgate took full responsibility for its mistake and issued a statement saying “We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize. Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.” [11] While Lionsgate received backlash for their casting mishap, they have received praise after moving the shooting of their Hulu series “Crushed” from North Carolina to Canada after the state’s controversial passing of a new anti-LGBT law.  [12]

The Future

After the failure of both “Gods of Egypt” and “Allegiant”, Lionsgate has been exploring new content to fill the void created by the end of “The Hunger Games”. For years, Lionsgate relied on the teen fantasy series to serve as their highest grossing films. However, the clear loss of enthusiasm for the “Divergent” series has made it evident to the company that it needs a new approach to making blockbuster films. Lionsgate’s current lineup for future movies includes projects such as a “Power Rangers” reboot, a retelling of “The Odyssey”, and film adaptations of the “Magic Treehouse” book series to restore its luster. [13] [14]

While Lionsgate has had its fair share of ups and downs this past year, they are more confident then ever that their brand will resurge with a newer and stronger vibrancy. The company is anticipating a strong opening on June 10, 2016 for their latest film, “Now You See Me 2“, a sequel to the highly successful “Now You See Me“. The film includes a cast of leads such as Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Lizzy Caplan, and Dave Franco, all of whom possess loyal fanbases. [15]

The film also features a highly anticipated cameo from “Harry Potter” actor Daniel Radcliffe which has kept message boards buzzing for the last few months. Lionsgate is not only confident that the film will have a positive reception, but the company is also dipping into the mobile gaming world by creating a “Now You See Me 2” game. [16]

 Lionsgate also has plans to launch Comic-Con HQ, a video-on-demand platform, on May 7, 2016. Comic-Con HQ will consist of scripted and unscripted series, film and TV genre titles, and behind the scene access and special features for their content. The network will focus on drawing in video game and comic book lovers by tailoring the channel’s content to focus on all the elements of Comic Con that fans love. Lionsgate will be launching the channel with free beta access in May before officially launching with paid subscriptions in June of 2016. [17] 

Lionsgate has proven to the entertainment world that they are a force to be reckoned with. A true underdog story, Lionsgate has risen from small independent production company to a leader in the film and television industries. With innovative ideas and content pouring out of the company, 2016 is sure to be a monumental year for Lionsgate Entertainment.

Sources

[1] “LIONSGATE Key Lines of Business.” Corporate. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/

[2] “Lionsgate Movies.” Movies. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016 https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/

[3]”Lionsgate Television.” Television. Lionsgate, n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/tv/

[4] “2016 Market Share and Box Office Results by Movie Studio.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 1 Jan. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/studio/

[5] France, Lisa Respers. “How ‘Hunger Games’ Changed Hollywood.” CNN. Cable News Network, 19 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.cnn.com/2015/11/19/entertainment/hunger-games-mockingjay-part-2-hollywood-feat/

[6] Fiscal Year 2015 Financial Report. Retrieved November 29, 2015.://www.lionsgate.com/uploads/assets/2015%20Annual%20Report.pdf

[7] “The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016 http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=allegiant.htm

[8] Orange, Alan. “Gods of Egypt Is First Big Bomb of 2016.” MovieWeb. N.p., 27 Feb. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://movieweb.com/gods-of-egypt-box-office-bomb-2016/://movieweb.com/gods-of-egypt-box-office-bomb-2016/

[9] “Gods of Egypt (2016) – Box Office Mojo.” Box Office Mojo. Box Office Mojo, 22 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=godsofegypt.htm

[10] Lee, Benjamin. “Gods of Egypt Posters Spark Anger with ‘whitewashed’ Cast.” The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/nov/13/gods-of-egypt-posters-anger-whitewashed-cast-twitter-exodus

[11] Mendelson, Scott. “Lionsgate Responds To ‘Gods Of Egypt’ Whitewashing Controversy.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 27 Nov. 2015. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2015/11/27/exclusive-lionsgate-responds-to-gods-of-egypt-whitewashing-controversy/#6892d8b31f4e

[12] Vlessing, Etan, and Gregg Kilday. “Lionsgate Pulls Hulu Pilot ‘Crushed’ From North Carolina After Anti-Gay Bill.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-pulls-hulu-pilot-crushed-881405

[13] Lang, Brent. “Box Office: ‘Allegiant’ Opening Falling Short of Other ‘Divergent’ Films.” Variety. Variety Entertainment, 15 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/box-office-allegiant-divergent-1201730485/

[14] “Lionsgate Acquires Rights to Globally-Renowned Magic Tree House Book Series.” Childrens Book Council. Childrens Book Council, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.cbcbooks.org/lionsgate-acquires-rights-to-globally-renowned-magic-tree-house-book-series/#.Vxu8yZMrJo5

[15] “‘Now You See Me 2’ Trailer: The Four Horsemen Return With Their Magical Escapades.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/now-you-see-me-2-trailer-daniel-radcliffe-876192

[16] Vlessing, Etan. “Lionsgate Plans ‘Now You See Me’ Mobile Games.” The Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter, 7 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-plans-you-see-me-873278

[17] McNary, Dave. “Lionsgate to Launch Comic-Con Channel in May.” Variety. Variety Entertainment, 14 Mar. 2016. Web. 23 Apr. 2016.  http://variety.com/2016/film/news/lionsgate-comic-con-channel-1201728963/

[18] “The Hunger Games.” IMDB.com. IMDB, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.the-numbers.com/market/distributor/Lionsgate

[19] Gallagher, Brian. “5 Gods of Egypt Character Posters Introduce the Cast.”MovieWeb. N.p., 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://movieweb.com/gods-egypt-movie-posters-characters-gerard-butler/

[20] “LIONSGATE Governance.” Corporate. Lionsgate Entertainment, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. https://www.lionsgate.com/corporate/governance/management/james-w-barge/

[21] Shaw, Ashley. “Get an Inside Look at Mad Men’s Final Season Poster Designed by Milton Glaser.” AMC. AMC, 15 Mar. 2014. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.amc.com/shows/mad-men/talk/2014/03/amc-reveals-mad-mens-final-season-poster-designed-by-60s-icon-milton-glaser 

[22] Rice, Lynette. “‘Nashville’ Fall Poster Released.” Entertainment Weekly’s EW.com. Entertainment Weekly, 5 Sept. 2013. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.ew.com/article/2013/09/05/nashville-fall-poster-released

[23] “Lions Gate Entertainment Corp.” Yahoo! Finance. Yahoo!, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=LGF

[24] “About the Series.” Magic Tree House. Random House, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.magictreehouse.com/

[25] “Power Rangers: Official Website | Videos, Games & Toys | Saban.” Power Rangers The Official Power Rangers Website. Saban Brands, n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2016. http://www.powerrangers.com/

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on by 
by Naomi Pinkus

lionsgatelogo

Lionsgate Company Logo [1]

Contact Information:

Address: 2700 Colorado Ave Ste 200
Santa Monica, CA, 90404 United States

Phone Number: (310) 449-9200

Website: http://www.lionsgate.com

About Lionsgate:

Lionsgate Entertainment was founded in 1997 by financier Frank Giestra. In 2000 Giestra stepped down as CEO, and the current CEO, John Feltheimer, took charge along with the current Vice Chairman Michael Burns [2]. For a while, Lionsgate was seen as a small studio known for their Tyler Perry comedies and horror flicks such as Saw [3]. Then, in 2012, The Hunger Games came to theaters, and become one of the most successful film franchises in history. Since then, Lionsgate bought Summit Entertainment (Twilight series) and has been speeding up to the major film studios in record time [3]. This particular wiki will focus on Lionsgate’s motion picture production line of business, as it is also involved in television programming, home entertainment, distribution, and new channel platforms [2].

Key Executives:

Chief Executive Officer

John Feltheimer, Chief Executive Officer [4]

Vice Chairman

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman [5]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since starting in 2000, Feltheimer and Burns have grown Lionsgate from an $80 million company to a nearly $4 billion one today. Lionsgate’s revenue has increased more than 15 times over [4].

Financials:

Lionsgate reported as of September 30th (when the quester ended) their revenue has increased by 11% to $552.9 million. They also had an adjusted EBITDA of $59.0 million. They also had an adjusted net income of $33.0 million or $0.24 adjusted basic net income per share. Additionally, they had a net income of $20.8 million or $0.15 basic net income per share, which is up from $0.00 basic net income per share last quarter [6].

Big Releases:

Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1:

In this portion of the story, Katniss is in District 13 as the face of the rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol.

In this portion of the story, Katniss is in District 13 as the face of the rebellion, while trying to save Peeta from the Capitol [8].

The third movie in the Hunger Game’s franchise which made over $1.5 billion in the box office before this new release [7].  The Hunger Games is by far Lionsgate’s most well-known and lucrative project. This third film came out November 21st, and has spent its two weeks of release being number one in the box office [9]. With a budget of $125 million, it has already made $225 million in the domestic market and $480 in the international market [9]. This franchise is also responsible for the Jennifer Lawrence’s rise to one of the top A-List stars in Hollywood.

 

 

 

 

johnwick_poster

John Wick is the story of an ex-hitman who comes out of retirement to hunt the gangsters who took everything from him [10].

John Wick:

With the reintroduction of Keanu Reeves, John Wick did surprisingly well as number 2 in the box office opening weekend. With a budget of $20 billion, Lionsgate gained $42 million domestically and $17 million internationally [11].

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Smaller Film Releases:

addicted_poster

Addicted is a thriller that encompasses a story about a gallerist engaging in an affair, which jeopardizes her family and career [12].

ghosts_poster

Jessabelle is the story of a girl who returns to her hometown after a car crash, where she’s met with a dark spirit who won’t let her go [14].

Addicted came out on October 10, 2014 and made $17 million. It was in approximately 1,000 theaters for only about 7 weeks [13].

Jessabelle is a horror film that came out on November 7th, 2014. As of now, there is no information on the budget, earnings, or number of theaters of this film [15].

Dear White People is a story about four black people struggling with race at a university.

Dear White People is a story about four black people struggling with race at a university [16].

MV5BMTQ4NTkxOTEyMl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwOTI1NzcwMzE@-1._V1_SY317_CR0,0,214,317_AL_

The Homesman is the story of a man and  woman who must transport 3 insane women across the country [18].

Dear White People was released on October 17th and has made about $4 million domestically (it was not released in the international market) [17].

The Homesman came out on November 21st. The film had an estimated budget of $16 millions and has only made $200,000 in the box office thus far [19].

 

 

 

 

Upcoming Releases:

Mortdecai:

Starring Johnny Depp, Gwenyth Paltrow, Ewan McGregor, and Olivia Munn, Mortdecai is sure to be a success. It is set to be released on January 23rd. The story is an action-comedy who’s premise is an art dealer is given a job to hunt down an art thief and faces an adventure across the world [20]. CEO Feltheimer compares this film to The Pink Panther and considers Depp’s character very “franchisable” [21]. The movie’s release was moved from early February so as to reduce the competition: now it is pinned up against Jennifer Lopez’s thriller The Boy Next Door [22]. 

Insurgent:

Perhaps the biggest grossing project next to The Hunger Games is the Divergent franchise. Insurgent, the second film of the trilogy, sets to be released to theaters on March 20th [23]. Divergent, the first film, made about $288 million worldwide last spring [24]. This film is estimated to be even more successful because the lead, Shailene Woodley, has escalated in fame since Divergent’s release through the film Fault in Our Stars [25]. Also interesting is the fact that Lionsgate has released a trailer that is a dream of the lead Tris (Woodley)- which has been commented on by news outlets as a risky way to promote the film, especially since they leave out the romance element of the film [25]. Insurgent will also be released in 3D.

The Age of Adeline:

Starring Blake Lively, The Age of Adeline tells a story about a woman who cannot age. It is set to be released on April 24th [26]. This is the first big movie Lively will lead in, so it’s a potentially big opportunity to draw fans in [27].

Spare Parts:

Spare parts is the story of four under-privledged hispanic boys starting a robotics club. It is set to hit theaters on January 16th and is starring George Lopez and Jamie Lee Curtis [28]. This film was a move by Lionsgate to reach out to and widen their Hispanic market. The Hispanic market is the fastest growing demographic in America, comprising 19% of U.S. box office revenue while representing 17.5% of the population [29].

Current Business Ventures:

Lionsgate has been extremely busy in the last few months expanding their company. The way they are doing this is by partnering up with many major companies to add projects to their plate and widen their distribution for the films they already had.

On September 3rd, Lionsgate announced that joined with Entertainment One, they would be renewing their multi-year film agreement in Canada, Australia, and Spain. This renewal will continue to distribute their major movies across the world, giving their company more recognition and money [30].

The last few months have been heavily focused on advertising and marketing The Hunger Games. On October 8th, Lionsgate partnered with Doritos, Mazda, and Whole Food’s, all of which sponsored a new app called “Our Leader, the Mockingjay” [31]. On October 20th, Lionsgate sent out a press release with the partnership between them and Google, where they created a five episode YouTube series about characters in Panem (the setting of The Hunger Games) [32]. Then on November 7th it was announced that Lionsgate would be partnering with Imagine Nations to produce The Hunger Games as a theater production in the UK [33].

As of November 13th, Lionsgate has partnered with CBS Films on up to 12 wide-release films. In this agreement CBS finds and produces the films while Lionsgate deals with distribution. This will allow each company to benefit from each other’s strengths [34].

There are many other examples of Lionsgate using any film success they’ve had to branch out into new media channels. It seems as though they are going to continue moving full speed ahead on their business ventures.

 Sources:

[1] Lionsgate Company Logo, Deadline.com, RT 2/5/13

[2] Lionsgate Company Overview, lionsgate.com, RT 12/1/14

[3] Lionsgate Fighting the System, businessinsider.com, RT 1/24/14

[4] CEO Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate.com, RT 8/17/13

[5] Vice Chairman Michael Burns, Lionsgate.com, RT 8/17/13

[6] Financial Report, lionsgate.com, RT 11/30/14

[7] Google and Lionsgate Team Up, lionsgate.com, RT 10/20/14

[8] Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Imbd.com, RT 11/21/14

[9] Hunger Hames: Mockingjay Part 1, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[10] John Wick, imbd.com, RT 11/30/14

[11] John Wick, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[12] Addicted, imbd.com, RT 11/30/14

[13] Addicted, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[14] Jessabelle, imdb.com, RT 11/7/2014

[15] Jessabelle, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/2014

[16] Dear White People, imdb.com, RT 11/30/14

[17] Dear White People, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[18] The Homesman, imdb.com, RT 11/30/14

[19] The Homesman, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[20] Mortdecai, lionsgate.com, RT 11/30/14

[21] Johnny Depp’s New Franchise, thewrap.com, RT 11/30/14

[22] Mortdecai to Hit Theaters Early, hollywoodreporter.com, RT 11/30/14

[23] Insurgent, lionsgate.com, RT 11/30/14

[24] Divergent, boxofficemojo.com, RT 11/30/14

[25] Insurgent Trailer, forbes.com, RT 11/30/14

[26] Age of Adeline, lionsgate.com, RT 11/30/14

[27] Blake Lively, usatoday.com, RT 11/30/14

[28] Spare Parts, lionsgate.com, RT 11/30/14

[29] George Lopez, variety.com, RT 11/30/14

[30] Entertainment One, lionsgate.com, RT 9/3/14

[31] Our Leader, The Mockingjay, lionsgate.com, RT 10/8/14

[32] Google, lionsgate.com, RT 10/20/14

[33] Theater Production, lionsgate.com, RT 11/7/14

[34] CBS Films, lionsgate.com, RT 11/13/14

 

 

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on by 
Taylor Kowalski

lionsgate logo

Courtesy of Lionsgate Entertainment [1]

Company Contact Information

Los Angeles Address:

Lionsgate Corporate

2700 Colorado Ave.

Santa Monica, CA 90404

(310)-449-9200

[1]

Executives

Jon Feltheimer, CEO since March 2000.

Michael Burns, Vice Chairman since March 2000.

Steve Beeks, President since February 2004

Joe Drake, Preisdent of the Motion Picture Group since August 2007

Jim Keegan, Chief Financial Officer since April 2002

[1]

Company Overview

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation is a leading multimedia entertainment company that maintains a presence in film and television production and distribution, home and family entertainment, digital distribution, as well as international distribution and new channel platforms.  Committed to low overhead, entrepreneurial business models, cost discipline, and niche focus, Lionsgate has recently seen the success of their 12-year growth strategy, which led to Lionsgate becoming a major name in the world marketplace. [6]

Lionsgate Film’s list of successful films includes The Hunger Games, The Saw Saga, and a long list of Tyler Perry’s films. In addition, Lionsgate Television’s current programming includes successes such as FX’s Anger Management, AMC’s Mad Men, ABC’s Nashville, and Showtime’s Nurse Jackie.

Other Lionsgate holdings and subsidiaries include Lionsgate Music and Publishing, Tigergate, Mandate Pictures, Maple Pictures, Kix, Epix, Thrill, TVGuide.com, FEARnet.com, Debmar-Mercury, Elevation Sales, and Break.com.

Brief History

Lionsgate Entertainment Corporation was founded by Frank Giustra in 1997 in Vancouver, British Columbia.  A majority of the funding for its founding was put forth by Yorktown Securities, a bank with stake in Frank Giustra’s mining assets.  [2]

To further itself in the industry, Lionsgate acquired other small production houses, purchasing Cinepix Film Properties, which was then dubbed Lionsgate Films, as well as North Shore Studios, then renamed to be Lionsgate Studios.  After more purchases, the Lionsgate Media subsidiary was founded to produce content for television.  [2]

After Feltheimer became CEO, Lionsgate Entertainment acquired Trimark Pictures for approximately $50 million in June of 2000.  Lionsgate also purchased Artisan Entertainment in 2003.   They went on to purchase Rebus Film Distribution of the United Kingdom in October 2005, which became Lionsgate UK on February 23rd, 2006.  Also in 2006, Lionsgate sold Lionsgate Studios to Bosa Development Corporation.  In June of 2007, Lionsgate Music and Publishing was founded. [2]

In 2009, Lionsgate acquired the TV Guide Network. [3]

In January of 2012, Lionsgate acquired Summit Entertainment, the producers of The Twilight Saga, which helped Lionsgate cross the $1 billion dollar threshold for the first time.  This success is also attributed to the release of The Hunger Games. [1]

images

Courtesy of The Hunger Games [16]

Competitors

DreamWorks Studios

Imagine Entertainment

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Incorporated

[18]

Finances

As the fiscal year ended March 31st, 2013, the annual financial reports for Lionsgate have not been released yet.

Their first-quarter financial report for 2013 reported revenue of $471.8 million, with a price of $.33 per share with the first quarter of fiscal 2013 ending June 30, 2012. [4]

The second-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $707.0 million with a price of $.56 per share with the second quarter of fiscal 2013 ending September 30, 2012. [4]

The third-quarter earnings release reports revenue of $743.6 million with a price of $.28 per share with the third quarter of fiscal 2013 ending December 31, 2012. [4]

View Available Financial Reports

Screen Shot 2013-04-08 at 12.01.12 AM

Courtesy of Yahoo Finance [5]

At the closing of April 5th, Lionsgate’s stock had gone up .74 of a point, a 3.29% increase.

With blockbuster films such as The Hunger Games: Catching Fire being released in 2013, Lionsgate is likely to have a comparable year to that of 2012, during which the release of franchised movies, including The Twilight Saga and The Hunger Games, led to more than $2.5 billion being made at the worldwide box office in 2012. [6]

Recent News

dredd

Courtesy of IMDB [14]

January 22, 2013– Lionsgate’s comic-based film DREDD achieved a DVD and Blu-Ray release that made it the best-selling new release title of the year.  DREDD also became the top film download of the week, beating out all other films in digital sales as well.  This feat adds to Lionsgate’s list of films that have made up for a lacking box office performance through DVD and Blu-Ray sales, helping Lionsgate be the industry leader in DVD-to-box office conversion. [7]

Official DREDD Trailer

February 12 and 13, 2013– Media Investor Gordon Crawford joined Lionsgate’s board of directors, increasing the size of the board to 13 members.  In addition, Wayne Levin signed a long-term agreement to act as Lionsgate’s General Counsel and Chief Strategic Officer. [8] [9]

March 5, 2013– Andrew Kramer was named Chief Operating Officer of International Distribution. [10]

BD-2-wallpapers-breaking-dawn-part-2-32962100-1680-1050

Courtesy of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 [15]

March 5, 2013– Lionsgate reported that Summit Entertainment’s The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 sold 3.85 million DVD’s and Blu-Rays in its first weekend of release.  This news is more significant due to the fact that 27% of the sales were Blu-Ray copies, up from the 22% seen for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1, which further indicates the growing acceptance of the Blu-Ray format.  Similarly, 20% more transactions were electronic, such as Video On Demand, for this film. [11]

Official Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Trailer

March 21, 2013– Lionsgate and the new digital entertainment service M-GO announced that they are partnering to bring Lionsgate’s library of films and television programs, such as The Hunger Games, Twilight, Madea, and Mad Men, to the digital service for customers to purchase or rent. [12]

TVGuideNEWlarge

Courtesy of TV Guide [15]

March 26, 2013– CBS Corporation and Lionsgate officially partner in a 50/50 ownership of the TV Guide Network as well as TVGuide.com, a cable channel that reaches 80 million households. [3]

Future

Though Lionsgate may not have as profitable of a fiscal year in 2013 and 2014 due to The Twilight Saga wrapping up and no longer overlapping The Hunger Games, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire as well as the rest of the trilogy are sure to be box office successes for Lionsgate.

Other upcoming films for Lionsgate include The Big Wedding, We the Peeples, You’re Next, I, Frankenstein, and Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas.  Lionsgate is also planning to add to the Texas Chainsaw 3D franchise. [13]

Official We The Peeples Trailer

Official You’re Next Trailer

Official Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas Trailer

In addition, Summit Entertainment’s upcoming 2013 slate includes Now You See Me, Red 2, The Tomb, and Ender’s Game.

Sources

1. Lionsgate Official Website  http://www.lionsgate.com

2. Lionsgate History http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/lions-gate-entertainment-corporation-history/

3. Lionsgate and CBS for TV Guide Network http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-eyes-sale-tv-guide-282649

4. Lionsgate Quarterly Earnings http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=quarterlyEarnings

5. Yahoo Finance Report http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=LGF

6. Lionsgate Company Overview http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-homeprofile

7. DREDD Press Release http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1776610&highlight=

8. Gordon Crawford Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784145&highlight=

9. Wayne Levin Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1784588&highlight=

10. Andrew Kramer Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792410&highlight=

11. Twilight Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1792214&highlight=

12. M-GO Press Release  http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1798829&highlight=

13. Lionsgate Films http://www.lionsgate.com/?section=film

14. DREDD on IMDb  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1343727/

15. Breaking Dawn – Part 2 Photo Page  http://www.breakingdawn-themovie.com

16. The Hunger Games Official Website  http://www.thehungergamesmovie.com/index.html

17. TV Guide Network  http://www.tvguide.com

18. Yahoo Finance, Lionsgate Competitors  http://finance.yahoo.com/q/co?s=LGF+Competitors

Lionsgate Entertainment

Posted on by

By Charles Reiff

Lionsgate production logo, courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

Founded in 1997, Lionsgate is now a global entertainment corporation that handles film production and distribution, as well as television programming and syndication. Lionsgate also has a strong presence in home entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution, and new channel platforms.

Once known as Lions Gate Entertainment, the corporation changed its name to “Lionsgate” in 2005. The company stated in a release: “The simplification of Lions Gate into the single word ‘Lionsgate’ represents the ongoing unification of the company’s diversified motion picture, television, home entertainment, family entertainment, documentary film, music publishing and video-on-demand businesses into a single, highly recognizable brand” [13].

Lionsgate has grown immensely in the past few years. In the past decade alone, it has increased revenues eightfold, from $180 million to almost $1.6 billion, its theatrical box office market share tenfold, the size of its library by a multiple of 15, and its television revenues are now 50 times what they once were, from $8 million in 2000 to $351 million in 2011 [1].

The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games, courtesy of imdb.com

Lionsgate enjoyed unprecedented success with its film The Hunger Games, which has earned $686.5 million around the world in the few months since its March 23rd premier, grossing $408 million at the North American box office. This puts it at the 3rd largest U.S. film of the year and the 13th highest grossing film of all time [12].

 

Key Executives [2]

Jon Feltheimer: Chief Executive Officer and Director

James Keegan: Chief Financial Officer and Chief Administration Officer

Dr. Mark H. Rachesky, M.D.: Chairman of the Board

Michael Burns: Vice Chairman and Director

Wayne Levin: General Counsel and Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations

Brian Goldsmith: Co-Chief Operating Oficer

Steven Beeks: Co-Chief Operating Officer and President, Motion Picture Group

 

Recent News

September

The Possession, courtesy of imdb.com

September 3rd, 2012

Lionsgate’s The Possession, a terrifying horror film about a young girl who’s body has been taken over by an evil spirit, was the top ticket seller at the box office over Labor Day weekend. The horror film grossed $21.3 million over the four day-weekend, making it the second-highest Labor Day opening ever, behind only Halloween, which opened with $30.6 million during 2007’s Labor Day weekend. The film was produced by Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures with a budget of only $14 million, and stars Jeffery Dean Morgan and Kyra Sedgwick.

To read the full LA Times article on 2012’s labor day weekend ticket sales, click here [11].

 September 17th, 2012

Celestial Tiger Entertainment, one of the largest independent entertainment companies in Asia, announced that it has expanded its content distribution deal with Lionsgate to cover all of East Asia. Now Lionsgate will be represented by Celestial Tiger Entertainment in Greater China and Southeast Asia, and CTE will be distributing all Lionsgate television content and feature films to Japan and Korea [8].

To read the full article by Yahoo! Finance, click here [8].

October

October 5th, 2012

Brian Goldsmith, after serving as executive vice president of corporate development and strategy since 2008, was promoted to co-chief operating officer, alongside Steve Beeks, to handle corporate development for the studio’s platform of channels and digital projects [7]. Goldsmith was recognized for his work in Lionsgate’s acquisition of Summit Entertainment in January, as well as the partnerships with Viacom and MGM in the Epix channel, Sony and Comcast in the FEARnet channel, as well as the output deal with Celestial Tiger Entertainment in Asia [7]. “Brian played a leadership role in many of the initiatives that made 2012 a transformative year for us,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer and vice chairman Michael Burns [7].

For the full article from Variety, click here [7].

October 30th, 2012

Domino’s, a leading pizza franchise that specializes in lightning-fast delivery, made a video-on-demand deal with Lionsgate U.K., in which customers who order pizza from the Domino’s website will also be able to instantly watch Lionsgate titles online. Domino’s sales and marketing director Simon Wallis is excited about their move with the video-on-demand service, as he described pizza and film as “a match made in heaven” [9]. Touching on the service’s universal appeal, Wallis said: “we pride ourselves on offering a vast choice when it comes to pizza, and the same is true of Domino’s Pizza Box Office–whether you’re into action, horror, or romantic comedies, there’s something for every pizza-eating occasion” [9]

Domino’s “Pizza Box Office” venture with Lionsgate, courtesy of tqs.com

To read the full Variety article, click here [9].

 

November

November 1st, 2012

Lionsgate has made a strong active effort to sign output deals with major distributors. On November 1st the company announced a partnership with Belgium’s Belga Films for release of the studio’s titles in the Benelux. Jerome de Bethune, COO of Belga Films, said “this output agreement provides us with a consistent pipeline of some of the most commercially exiting films in the world, including the next three installments of the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise” [4].

Lionsgate has forged output deals with StudioCanal in Germany, Nordisk Films in Scandanavia, Alliance’s Aurum Producciones in Spain, Roadshow Pictures in Australia and Metropolitan Filmworks in France.

To read the full Hollywood Reporter article on the deal with Belga Films, click here [4].

To read the full Hollywood Reporter article on the deal with Metropolitan Filmworks, click here [5].

Michael Burns, courtesy of www.hollywoodreporter.com

November 5th, 2012 

Lionsgate vice chairman, Michael Burns, announced the extension of his contract through October 2017. Burns, after acquiring Summit Entertainment and having such great success with The Hunger Games, is maintaining his position as vice chairman for another five years. “We’re delighted that Michael will continue to help guide Lionsgate’s growth through 2017,” said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer [6].

To read the full article from The Hollywood Reporter, click here [6].

November 28th, 2012

Lionsgate, in an attempt to further create an international distribution network with top partners around the world, announced yet another output deal, this time with Russia’s West Company. The deal will allow Lionsgate films and television shows to be distributed in Russia and other nations of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) region.”Our Lionsgate and Summit labels have both successfully partnered with West Company on numerous films in the past, including the blockbusterTwlight franchise,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Co-Chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachberger [11]. “This new output agreement for Lionsgate titles is a natural evolution of our alliance that promises significant benefits for both our companies for many years to come” [11].

To read the full press release from Yahoo! Finance, click here.

December

December 3rd, 2012

The weekend from Friday, November 30th to Sunday, December 2nd was the third weekend in a row that Breaking Dawn – Part 2–the final installment of the teen vampire Twilight saga from Lionsgate–led U.S. and Canadian ticket sales, outselling both the James Bond film Skyfall and Lincoln. As of December 3rd, according to Bloomberg’s website, this fifth film in the series has taken in $254.6 million in domestic sales, exploiting a post-Thanksgiving lull in big releases to stay on top of the box-office standings. The five Twilight films have taken in $1.33 billion in domestic theaters, according to Box Office Mojo, making it the eighth most successful film franchise of all time [10].

 

Works Cited

[1] Lionsgate http://investors.lionsgate.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=62796&p=irol-homeprofile

[2] Daily Finance http://www.dailyfinance.com/quote/nyse/lions-gate-entertainment-corp-usa/lgf/key-executives?source=esadlfltnal0001

[3] Paul Bond http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hunger-games-boosts-lionsgate-stock-388322

[4] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-inks-output-deal-belgiums-385221

[5] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-signs-output-deal-frances-384726

[6] Etan Vlessing http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-vice-chair-michael-burns-contract-2017-386348 

[7] Jill Goldsmith http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118060342

[8] Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/news/celestial-tiger-entertainment-expands-content-130000096.html

[9] Variety Newsroom http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061416

[10] Box Office Mojo http://boxofficemojo.com/search/?q=twilight

[11] Amy Kaufman http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/03/entertainment/la-et-ct-box-office-possession-oogieloves-lawless-20120903

[12] Yahoo! Finance http://finance.yahoo.com/news/epix-kicks-off-2013-worldwide-150000018.html

[13] Brian Brooks http://www.indiewire.com/article/film_company_lions_gate_is_now_lionsgate