LIONSGATE(R) Reunites With Oscar(R)-Winner Paul Haggis for His Latest Film, THE NEXT THREE DAYS, Adapted From French Thriller POUR ELLE

LIONSGATE(R) Reunites With Oscar(R)-Winner Paul Haggis for His Latest Film, THE NEXT THREE DAYS, Adapted From French Thriller POUR ELLE

Studio Acquires Remake Rights From Wild Bunch And Fidelite Films

Haggis To Write And Direct, Will Produce With Highway 61 Partner Michael Nozik and Fidelite Films' Marc Missonnier And Olivier Delbosc

SANTA MONICA, Calif., June 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- LIONSGATE(R) (NYSE: LGF) , the leading next generation studio, announced today that it will re-team with filmmaker Paul Haggis for his latest feature, the thriller THE NEXT THREE DAYS, an adaptation of the French film POUR ELLE. Lionsgate has acquired remake rights from Wild Bunch and Fidelite Films. THE NEXT THREE DAYS will mark the first collaboration between the studio and Haggis since CRASH, the Lionsgate release for which Haggis received the 2005 Academy Awards(R) for Best Motion Picture and Best Original Screenplay, and a nomination for Best Director. Haggis will write and direct. Haggis and Michael Nozik will produce through their production entity Highway 61 Films, alongside producers Marc Missonnier and Olivier Delbosc of Fidelite Films. The announcement was made by Joe Drake, Lionsgate President, Motion Picture Group, and Co-Chief Operating Officer.

Principal photography on THE NEXT THREE DAYS is expected to begin in August. Lionsgate President of Motion Picture Production Alli Shearmur and Lionsgate Vice President of Motion Picture Production Wolfgang Hammer will oversee the production for the studio.

Said Shearmur, "We are delighted to welcome the brilliant Paul Haggis back to Lionsgate. As both a writer and director, Paul brings keen insight into the workings of the human animal, and it's going to be a real treat to see what he does with an unpredictable thriller like THE NEXT THREE DAYS."

Commented Haggis, "I'm thrilled to be working with Lionsgate again; they did such a great job distributing CRASH. I'm looking forward to exploring the depths of faith and the limits of love."

The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Hammer, Robert Melnik, Lionsgate Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, and Wendy Jaffe, Executive Vice President Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions; by attorney Peter Dekom (of counsel to Weissmann Wolf) and Steven Brookman of CAA, on behalf of Highway 61; and by Agnes Mentre and Peter Grant of Grubman Indursky & Shire, on behalf of Fidelite Films. The project was brought to the attention of Highway 61 by its new head of development, Eugenie Grandval. Paul Haggis and Highway 61 are represented by Risa Gertner and Byrdie Lifson at CAA, and Larry Becsey at IPG.

SYNOPSIS

An ordinary couple find themselves in an unthinkable situation and have to make desperate choices that will test the limits of love and alter their lives forever.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is the 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:   Sarah Greenberg   310-255-3856   sgreenberg@lionsgate.com    For corporate inquiries, please contact:   Peter D. Wilkes   pwilkes@lionsgate.com   310-255-3726  

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

Source: Lionsgate

CONTACT: Sarah Greenberg, +1-310-255-3856, sgreenberg@lionsgate.com, or
Peter D. Wilkes, +1-310-255-3726, pwilkes@lionsgate.com, both of Lionsgate

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

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Profile: International Entertainment