SANTA MONICA, Calif.,
May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/
-- After becoming one of the first major wide release films to
return to theatres, Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' horror thriller
Spiral: From The Book of Saw will launch exclusively in its
first U.S. pay window on the premium subscription platform STARZ on
October 8th, the companies announced
today. In time for Halloween viewing, the launch will be
followed by the early arrival of the entire Saw franchise on
STARZ as part of Lionsgate's new theatrical output agreement with
STARZ for its Lionsgate and Summit label films.
Spiral, the latest installment of the Saw
franchise teaming superstars Chris
Rock and Samuel L. Jackson,
has been the #1 film at the U.S. box office two weeks in a row, a
first in Saw franchise history. Produced and
shepherded from its inception by Mark
Burg and Oren Koules, the
Saw franchise broke the $1
billion-mark at the global box office last weekend and is
one of the longest-running horror franchises in history. The
Lionsgate and STARZ marketing and publicity teams are collaborating
closely on the multiphase rollout.
"STARZ is excited to expand upon our recently announced
theatrical output agreement with Lionsgate bringing more premium
content to our subscribers ahead of schedule with Spiral and
the blockbuster Saw franchise," said STARZ President of
Domestic Networks Alison
Hoffman. "The Saw franchise reflects the
tremendous box office appeal and world-class starpower of the slate
of films that we're bringing to our subscribers."
"The convergence of our studio and platform businesses allows us
to create holistic and bespoke release strategies for our films
that maximize their potential in every distribution window," said
Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television Distribution
Jim Packer. "By collaborating
with our partners at Twisted Pictures and controlling our own
destiny, we're able to bring Spiral to each of its audiences
at the perfect time, synchronizing its first pay window debut with
the arrival of the rest of the Saw franchise on STARZ in its
rightful place at Halloween."
"Spiral is off to a strong start at the box office, and
we're looking forward to continuing our partnership with Lionsgate
and STARZ on an innovative release strategy designed to bring the
film to the widest possible audience at every stage of its
rollout," said Burg and Koules. "We believe that STARZ will
be the perfect pay television home for Spiral and the rest
of the Saw franchise."
Spiral centers on Rock, who plays Detective Ezekiel
"Zeke" Banks, working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed
police veteran played by Samuel L.
Jackson. Along with his rookie partner (Max Minghella), Banks takes charge of an
investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the
city's gruesome past.
About STARZ
STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate
company, is a leading global media streaming platform committed to
delivering premium content that amplifies narratives by, about and
for women and underrepresented audiences. STARZ is home to the
highly-rated and first-of-its-kind STARZ app that offers the
ability to stream or download STARZ premium content, as well as the
flagship domestic STARZ® service, including STARZ
ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels, and the associated on-demand
and online services. In 2018, STARZ launched its STARZPLAY
international premium streaming platform to provide subscribers
access to the "best of global SVOD." STARZPLAY, coupled with its
STARZPLAY ARABIA joint venture, has expanded its global footprint
into more than 55 countries throughout Europe and Latin
America along with Canada,
Japan, India and Indonesia. STARZ and STARZPLAY are available
across digital OTT platforms and multichannel video distributors,
including cable operators, satellite television providers, and
telecommunications companies around the world. In February 2021, STARZ launched #TakeTheLead,
a multi-faceted and innovative inclusion initiative expanding its
existing efforts to improve representation on screen, behind the
camera and throughout the company.
About Lionsgate
Combining the STARZ premium global
subscription platform with world-class motion picture and
television studio operations, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) brings
a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around
the world. Its film, television, subscription and
location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a
17,000-title library and the largest collection of film and
television franchises in the independent media space. A
digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and
commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with
bold, original, relatable entertainment for the audiences it serves
worldwide.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jennifer
Minezaki
STARZ
720-545-8442
jennifer.minezaki@starz.com
Peter D. Wilkes
Lionsgate
310-255-3726
pwilkes@lionsgate.com
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/spiral-to-head-to-starz-in-october----1-film-in-america-two-weeks-in-a-row-301299157.html
SOURCE Lionsgate
