SANTA MONICA, Calif. & STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lionsgate (NYSE:LGF), the premier next generation global content leader, and WWE Studios (NYSE:WWE) announced today the second film in their action six pack deal which extends the long standing partnership between the two companies and serves as starring vehicles for WWE Superstars as well as incubators for new and emerging talent.
Directed by Stephen Reynolds (TOMB RAIDER ASCENSION) and featuring WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose®, LOCKDOWN is the second installment of the action six-pack series to follow the recently wrapped VENDETTA. The film was written by Nathan Brooks and Bobby Lee Darby (SEE NO EVIL 2) and is set to commence principal photography this August. WWE Studios will leverage its extensive multi-platform reach to promote the film.
LOCKDOWN follows a police officer who returns to duty after recovering from a gun shot wound to discover incriminating evidence of illegal activities against those closest to him. He quickly finds himself trapped inside his own precinct, hunted and in search of the truth, as the crooked cops stop at nothing to recover the evidence.
“As the second installment to the action six pack series, LOCKDOWN will continue to energize and excite with the high level of adrenaline our fans have come to expect from our films,” said Michael Luisi, WWE Studios President.
“The latest installment in our six pack has it all -- powerful suspense, nonstop action and a brand name WWE Superstar,” said Lionsgate Co-Chief Operating Officer and Motion Picture Group President Steve Beeks. “We’re proud to continue our long-standing partnership with WWE Studios, whose prowess in marketing to their global fan base delivers a consistent track record of commercial success.”
WWE Studios and Lionsgate previously collaborated on THE CONDEMNED and SEE NO EVIL, as well as the upcoming 2014 releases LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS, SEE NO EVIL 2 and VENDETTA. Bradley Buchanan, SVP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of WWE Studios and Wendy Jaffe, EVP of Business & Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate.
ABOUT WWE STUDIOS
WWE Studios produces a diverse slate of feature films for theatrical release, home entertainment and digital platforms through distribution partnerships with global entertainment companies. Led by President Michael Luisi and headquartered in Santa Monica, CA, WWE Studios creates content for audiences of all ages. Films recently produced by WWE Studios include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David Otunga®, Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery which paired WWE Superstars with Scooby and the gang released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, Oculus directed by Mike Flanagan staring Karen Gillan, Katee Sackhoff distributed by Relativity Media in partnership with Blumhouse Productions, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett®, The Marine 3: Homefront with WWE Superstar The Miz®, 12 Rounds 2: Reloaded, the second installment in the action franchise, starring WWE Superstar Randy Orton®, No One Lives co-produced with Pathe© Films and released theatrically by Anchor Bay Films starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay™, and Christmas Bounty, an action comedy starring WWE Superstar The Miz and Francia Raisa, which premiered on ABC Family's "The Countdown to 25 Days of Christmas" and released on Blu-Ray/DVD by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Films to be released in 2014 include Leprechaun: Origins directed by Zach Lipovsky starring WWE Superstar Hornswoggle® which will be distributed by Lionsgate on August 22; See No Evil 2 starring WWE Superstar Kane® directed by the Soska Sisters will also be distributed by Lionsgate on October 21, Queens of the Ring featuring The Miz which will be distributed by Image Entertainment on November 11, Jingle All the Way 2 starring Larry The Cable Guy and featuring WWE Superstar Santino Marella® will be released by Fox Home Entertainment on December 2. Upcoming films for WWE Studios in Spring 2015 include The Flintstones: Stone Age Smackdown! with Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releasing which joins Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas, The Marine 4: Moving Target starring The Miz in the fourth follow-up in the explosive Marine adventures, Incarnate the paranormal thriller featuring WWE Superstar Mark Henry® in a Universal Pictures release of a Blumhouse production, and Term Life starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, and Hailee Steinfeld in a Universal Pictures release. The Action Six-Pack series will also be distributed by Lionsgate Home Entertainment including the films Vendetta directed by the Soska Sisters featuring WWE Superstar Big Show® and Lockdown directed by Stephen Reynolds and featuring WWE Superstar Dean Ambrose®.
ABOUT WWE
WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE:WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mexico City, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Munich, Dubai and Tokyo.
Additional information on WWE (NYSE:WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.
Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.
Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to entering into, maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television and pay-per-view programming and our new network distribution agreements; risks relating to the launch and maintenance of our new network; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of key performers and the services of Vincent McMahon; the conditions of the markets in which we compete and acceptance of the Company's brands, media and merchandise within those markets; uncertainties relating to regulatory matters; risks resulting from the highly competitive and fragmented nature of our markets; uncertainties associated with international markets; the importance of protecting our intellectual property and complying with the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of accidents or injuries during our physically demanding events; risks associated with producing and travelling to and from our large live events, both domestically and internationally; risks relating to our film business; risks relating to new businesses and strategic investments; risks relating to our computer systems and online operations; risks relating to general economic conditions and our exposure to bad debt risk; risks relating to litigation; risks relating to market expectations for our financial performance; risks relating to our revolving credit facility; risks relating to the large number of shares of common stock controlled by members of the McMahon family and the possibility of the sale of their stock by the McMahons or the perception of the possibility of such sales; the relatively small public float of our stock; and other risks and factors set forth from time to time in Company filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results could differ materially from those currently expected or anticipated. In addition, our dividend is dependent on a number of factors, including, among other things, our liquidity and historical and projected cash flow, strategic plan (including alternative uses of capital), our financial results and condition, contractual and legal restrictions on the payment of dividends, general economic and competitive conditions and such other factors as our Board of Directors may consider relevant.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is a leading global entertainment company with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has over 30 television shows on more than 20 networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the comedy Anger Management, the network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show and the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first two installments of The Hunger Games franchise, the first installment of the recently-launched Divergent franchise, Now You See Me, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain, Warm Bodies, The Expendables 2, The Possession, Sinister, Roadside Attractions' Mud and Pantelion Films' breakout hit Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rate. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 15,000 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 and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
