Lionsgate(R) and Relativity Media Ink New Multi-Picture, Multi-Year Deal

Lionsgate(R) and Relativity Media Ink New Multi-Picture, Multi-Year Deal

Studio Acquires U.S. Distribution Rights For Up To Five Relativity Productions Per Year

Deal Launches With Expected 2009 Release of BROTHERS, New Film From Six-Time Oscar(R) Nominee Jim Sheridan

SANTA MONICA, Calif., April 27 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LIONSGATE(R) (NYSE:LGF) , a leading next generation filmed entertainment studio, and Relativity Media, a premier media and entertainment company, announced today that they have finalized a new multi-picture, multi-year deal under which Lionsgate will acquire U.S. distribution rights for up to five Relativity Media productions per year. The agreement builds upon the successful relationship established by the companies during the past two years, when they partnered on the critical and commercial hits THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, 3:10 TO YUMA and THE BANK JOB. The announcement was jointly made by Joe Drake, Lionsgate President, Motion Picture Group, and Co-Chief Operating Officer, and Ryan Kavanaugh, CEO of Relativity Media.

Said Drake, "Ryan Kavanaugh and his colleagues at Relativity Media have built an extraordinary company that is one of the industry's most prolific suppliers of broad-appeal, talent-driven motion pictures. This agreement solidifies the long-term relationship we built together through successful partnerships on 3:10 TO YUMA, THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM and THE BANK JOB. We are thrilled to bring these new movies into the Lionsgate family, adding to the tally of first-rate productions that will define the Lionsgate release slate going forward."

Said Kavanaugh, "This deal represents a big step in the evolution of a partnership between two forward-thinking companies. Lionsgate is defined by its keen ability to take smart risks on compelling films. Lionsgate treats its distribution of films as an owner, thinking creatively about how to approach every film uniquely and maximize the value of each and every project. These films are in great hands thanks to this relationship."

The first title to be released under the new agreement is BROTHERS, the highly anticipated new film directed by six-time Academy Award(R) nominee Jim Sheridan (IN AMERICA, MY LEFT FOOT). Tobey Maguire, Academy Award(R) nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and Academy Award(R) nominee Natalie Portman star in this drama about the rivalry and ultimate redemption of two brothers in love with the same woman. Based on the award-winning 2004 film by Danish writer/director Susanne Bier, BROTHERS is expected to be released by Lionsgate later this year. It will be followed by the supernatural thriller SEASON OF THE WITCH and the action/comedy THE SPY NEXT DOOR, both of which are currently in postproduction. Directed by Dominic Sena (GONE IN 60 SECONDS), SEASON OF THE WITCH stars Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman and introduces Claire Foy in the story of 14th Century knights transporting a girl suspected of being the witch who has spread the Black Plague. SEASON OF THE WITCH marks Relativity's first film in their output arrangement with Charles Roven's Atlas Entertainment. Directed by Brian Levant (ARE WE THERE YET?), THE SPY NEXT DOOR stars Jackie Chan as a mild-mannered suburbanite who agrees to babysit his neighbor's unruly kids, only to have them accidentally blow his cover as a secret agent. Additional titles will be announced at a future date.

The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Jason Constantine, President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Wendy Jaffe, Executive Vice President Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, and Sean Kisker, Executive Vice President, Strategic Planning & Operations, Motion Picture Group; and by Ryan Kavanaugh, Chief Executive Officer, Tucker Tooley, President of Production, Andrew Marcus, Chief Operating Officer, and Linda Benjamin, Executive Vice President Business & Legal Affairs on behalf of Relativity Media.

ABOUT RELATIVITY MEDIA, LLC

Relativity Media, LLC ("RML") is a media and entertainment company which focuses on creating, financing and distributing first class, studio quality entertainment content and intellectual property across multiple platforms, as well as making strategic partnerships with, and opportunistic investments in media and entertainment related companies and assets. Relativity also owns and operates Rogue, a company that specializes in the production and distribution of lower-budget genre films, as well as the label's entire library of films. Under Relativity's new ownership, Rogue has had particular success within the horror genre including THE UNBORN and THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Their next release is FIGHTING, starring Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard.

To date, Relativity has financed and/or produced over 60 films that have seen wide release and have accumulated $7.4 billion in worldwide box office revenue. Fifty of those films are "Top 10" box office releases from the past two years. Relativity's recent films include FAST AND FURIOUS, STEP BROTHERS, HANCOCK, WANTED, BURN AFTER READING, DEATH RACE, THE HOUSE BUNNY, MAMMA MIA!, YOU DON'T MESS WITH THE ZOHAN, PINEAPPLE EXPRESS, THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR, and HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY.

Relativity's 2008 slate included five of the top twelve highest-grossing films of the year; eighteen of the company's films have opened at #1 at the box office, and eighteen of RML's nineteen summer releases landed in the top three highest earners in their respective opening weekends. Their films have earned 29 Oscar(R) nominations, including nods for FROST/NIXON, ATONEMENT, AMERICAN GANGSTER, and 3:10 TO YUMA. Twenty-nine of RML's films have each generated over $100 million in worldwide box office receipts. This past summer, Relativity Media, LLC announced an extensive international distribution program, which included thirteen output deals covering 100+ territories around the world.

Relativity also owns RelativityREAL, a joint venture with veteran TV producer Tom Foreman ("Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" & "9/11") which has 20 reality shows in pilot or series coming over the next year.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is a leading next generation studio with a strong and diversified 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 to create a multiplatform global industry leader in entertainment through the recent acquisition of TV Guide Network, one of the 25 most widely distributed cable networks, the recent acquisition of TV Guide.com, a premier content and navigation portal, partnerships that include the FEARnet branded VOD and Internet horror channel with Sony and Comcast, the expected fall 2009 launch of EPIX, a new premium entertainment channel with partners Viacom and MGM, investment in the leading young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, ownership of the premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury and an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and distribution company Roadside Attractions.

The Company is a market share leader at the North American theatrical box office for calendar 2009 due to recent theatrical box office successes such as TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL, the second highest-grossing film in Lionsgate history, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D and THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT. Other recent successes include SAW V, RELIGULOUS, FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, RAMBO and THE BANK JOB. Lionsgate has forged a strong position in television with the production of such critically-acclaimed series as "Mad Men," "Weeds" and "Crash," the distribution of Tyler Perry's "House of Payne," "Family Feud" and "South Park," and upcoming shows including Tyler Perry's "Meet The Browns" and "The Wendy Williams Show." In addition, the Company's home entertainment business, propelled by such recent DVD successes as TRANSPORTER 3, SAW V and TYLER PERRY'S THE FAMILY THAT PREYS, is the industry leader in box office-to-DVD conversion rate and has market share of nearly 8%. 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 remains synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

   www.lionsgate.com     For further information, contact:    For Lionsgate:    Sarah Greenberg   310-255-3856   sgreenberg@lionsgate.com    For corporate inquiries, please contact:    Peter D. Wilkes   pwilkes@lionsgate.com   310-255-3726    For Relativity Media:    Lauren Burton Horowitz   p: 212-334-0333 | f: 212-334-8444   lburton@id-pr.com  

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: cfish@lionsgate.com

Source: Lionsgate

CONTACT: Sarah Greenberg, +1-310-255-3856, sgreenberg@lionsgate.com, or
for corporate inquiries, Peter D. Wilkes, +1-310-255-3726,
pwilkes@lionsgate.com, both of Lionsgate; or Lauren Burton Horowitz,
+1-212-334-0333, fax, +1-212-334-8444, lburton@id-pr.com, for Relativity
Media

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

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Profile: International Entertainment