Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions Win Battle for Terra

Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions Win Battle for Terra

Partners acquire U.S. Rights to 3D Animated Adventure Feature Film with the Voices of Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Justin Long, Amanda Peet, Chris Evans, Dennis Quaid and Brian Cox Set to Open Wide May 1, 2009

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF) and Roadside Attractions have acquired all U.S. rights to Snoot Entertainment's Battle for Terra, a 3D animated adventure feature film with the vocal talents of Evan Rachel Wood, Luke Wilson, Justin Long, Amanda Peet, Chris Evans and Dennis Quaid. The feature directorial debut of acclaimed short filmmaker Aristomenis Tsirbas (The Freak), Battle for Terra is the first in a series of animated features produced by Snoot. The announcement was made by Roadside Attractions Co-President Eric d'Arbeloff.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090130/LA64806 )

Battle for Terra turns sci-fi convention on its head by telling its story from the perspective of the aliens whose planet is invaded by humans fleeing a dying Earth. The film made its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and has since thrilled festival audiences worldwide. The film has been honored for its environmental awareness themes and stunning animation with the Silver Griffin Award at the 2008 Giffoni Film Festival; the Grand Prize for Best Animated Feature at the 2008 Ottawa International Animation Festival; and the Crystal Heart Award at the 2008 Heartland Film Festival. In preparation for the U.S. release, the Los Angeles based creative team has rendered the entire film in stereoscopic 3D using a proprietary in-house process. Lionsgate and Roadside will open, Battle for Terra in wide release, in both 3D and 2D formats, on May 1, 2009. Stuart Ford's IM Global will handle international.

"We at Roadside could not be more excited to be releasing Battle for Terra," noted d'Arbeloff. "Not only is it a thrilling piece of entertainment for younger audiences, its themes of tolerance and environmental awareness will resonate with viewers of all ages. Anyone interested in 3D animation and digital artistry will be stunned."

The deal was negotiated by Lionsgate President of Theatrical Films Tom Ortenberg, on behalf of Lionsgate; Co-President of Roadside Attractions Howard Cohen and attorney Greg Bernstein, on behalf of Roadside Attractions; and by Snoot President Keith Calder, CAA and Erik Hyman and Susan Williams of Loeb & Loeb, on behalf of the filmmakers and Snoot Entertainment.

SYNOPSIS

Battle for Terra tells the story of Senn (Justin Long) and Mala (Evan Rachel Wood), two rebellious alien teens living on the beautiful planet Terra, a place that promotes peace and tolerance, having long ago rejected war and weapons of mass destruction. But when Terra is invaded by human beings fleeing a civil war and environmental catastrophe, the planet is plunged into chaos. During the upheaval, Mala befriends an injured human pilot (Luke Wilson) and each learns the two races are not so different from one another. Together they must face the terrifying realization that in a world of limited resources, only one of their races is likely to survive.

ABOUT ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS

Roadside Attractions is a film distribution company committed to championing independent films with a willingness to entertain. The company works with filmmakers to devise innovative marketing strategies that encourage audiences to see films that are not typical studio fare. Roadside Attractions' upcoming releases include Ramin Bahrani's GOODBYE SOLO, winner of the 2008 Venice Film Festival's FIPRESCI International Critics' prize and R.W. Goodwin's ALIEN TRESPASS starring Eric McCormack.

Previous theatrical releases include Patrick Creadon's Sundance sensation I.O.U.S.A; Toronto Film Festival People's Choice winner, BELLA; Andrew Wagner's Spirit Award-nominated STARTING OUT IN THE EVENING; Tarsem's groundbreaking visual marvel THE FALL; Academy Award(R) nominee Brett Morgen's part-animated documentary CHICAGO 10; Cannes Directors Fortnight hit CARAMEL; Academy Award(R) nominee SUPER SIZE ME; Spirit Award winner THE ROAD TO GUANTANAMO, as well as box office hits such as AMAZING GRACE, LADIES IN LAVENDER and WHAT THE BLEEP DO WE KNOW?

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is the leading next generation filmed entertainment studio with a major presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company is leveraging its content leadership and marketing expertise through a series of partnerships that include the operation of the highly successful FEARnet branded channel with Sony and Comcast, the recent announcement of the fall 2009 launch of a new multiplatform entertainment venture with partners Viacom, Paramount Pictures and MGM, investment in the leading young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, ownership of the premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury LLC and an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and distribution company Roadside Attractions.

The Company's feature films have generated more than $450 million at the North American theatrical box office in the past year, and Lionsgate has also forged leadership positions in television and home entertainment with the production of such critically-acclaimed television series as "Weeds" and "Mad Men," the distribution of "Tyler Perry's House of Payne," "Family Feud," "South Park," "Trivial Pursuit," "The Wendy Williams Show" and Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns," and approximately 8% market share and the industry's leading box office-to-DVD conversion rate in home entertainment. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 12,000 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 brand is synonymous with entrepreneurial innovation and original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.

ABOUT SNOOT ENTERTAINMENT

Snoot Entertainment is a motion picture production company founded in February 2004 to independently develop, finance and produce both commercial genre-oriented live-action films and CG animated features with broad audience appeal. Snoot is currently in post-production on the live action film BUNRAKU starring Josh Hartnett, Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson and developing the science-fiction noir IDENTITY THEFT.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: meghannb@broadsideattractions.com

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090130/LA64806
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN3
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Source: Roadside Attractions

CONTACT: Veronica Bufalini, Veronicab@roadsideattractions.com, or
Meghann Burns, Meghannb@roadsideattractions.com, both of Roadside Attractions,
+1-323-882-8490

Web Site: http://www.roadsideattractions.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment