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Lionsgate and Hulu Partner to Acquire Jeff Baena’s Joshy
March 1, 2016
LOS ANGELES, CA MARCH 01, 2016 – Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a premier next generation global content leader, and Hulu announced today that they have joined forces to acquire the North American rights to Jeff Baena’s Joshy, featuring an ensemble cast, including Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Brett Gelman, and Jenny Slate. The film will be released on Lionsgate’s specialty film distribution label, Lionsgate Premiere, and will be available to stream exclusively on Hulu following its theatrical run.
Produced by Liz Destro, Michael Zakin and Adam Pally and executive produced by Starstream’s Kim Leadford and Charles Bonan and Bow and Arrow Entertainment’s Michael Sherman and Matthew Perniciaro, the film had its world premiere in the US Dramatic Completion section at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Writer/director Jeff Baena returned to Sundance with his second film, Joshy, and his second collaboration with producers, Destro, Zakin and Starstream following his 2014 hit, Life After Beth. The talented cast also includes Lisa Edelstein, Lauren Weedman, Aubrey Plaza, Alison Brie and Paul Reiser.
“We’re proud to expand our multi-faceted relationship with Hulu that already includes four original television series, our partnership in Epix and licensing of our content to their platform,” said Lionsgate President of Worldwide Television and Digital Distribution Jim Packer. “The extension of our alliance into film acquisitions signals a new growth opportunity for both companies and ‘Joshy’ is a great movie to kick it off. Jeff Baena and his creative team have made a hilarious and irreverent film that we believe will resonate with moviegoers and online audiences alike.”
Joshy is a comedy about the emotionally inept nature of male bonding. Each character is his own fragile mess, covering up with hard partying and games. After his engagement ends badly, Josh decides to take advantage of his bachelor-party plans in Ojai, California, with the few friends still willing to join him. Focused on drugs and their own hangups, his self-absorbed friends refuse to confront the elephant in the room and ask Josh how he’s feeling. As welcome and unwelcome guests stop by, Josh will attempt to find some closure over this weekend with the guys.
The deal was negotiated by WME Global on behalf of StarStream. It was negotiated by Geobert Abboud, Executive Vice President of Strategic & Business Development of Worldwide Home Entertainment, Eda Kowan, Executive Vice President of Acquisitions & Co-Productions and acquisitions executive Lauren Freeman on behalf of Lionsgate.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms, video games and international distribution and sales. The Company has nearly 80 television shows on 40 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses. These include the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the multiple Emmy Award-winning drama Mad Men, the hit broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication successes The Wendy Williams Show and Celebrity Name Game (with FremantleMedia), the breakout series The Royals and the Golden Globe-nominated dramedy Casual.
Its feature film business has been fueled by such successes as the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the first two installments of the Divergent franchise, Sicario, The Age of Adaline, CBS/Lionsgate’s The DUFF, John Wick, Now You See Me, Roadside Attractions’ Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films’ Addicted and Pantelion Films’ 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 rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 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. www.lionsgate.com
About Hulu
Hulu is a premium streaming TV destination that offers hundreds of thousands of hours of the best of current season programming, premium original content, films and full seasons of hit series to subscribers with limited commercials for $7.99 per month or commercial free for $11.99 per month. Hulu is the only streaming subscription service that offers current season content from 5 of the 6 largest U.S. broadcast networks. Since its launch in 2008, Hulu has been at the forefront of entertainment and technology and continues to redefine TV by connecting viewers with the stories they love.
About StarStream
StarStream is a television and motion picture production and financing company focused on producing and financing edgy, high quality content with top story tellers, strong casts and lean budgets for a commercial audience.
Starstream has produced LIFE OF CRIME (Lionsgate) (Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins, John Hawkes, Will Forte and Mos Def), LIFE AFTER BETH (A24 Films) (Aubrey Plaza, Dane Dehaan, John C Reilly and Molly Shannon), JOSHY (Sundance Film Festival 2016, U.S Dramatic Competition) (Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally, Alex Ross Perry, Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate and Brett Gelman) and YOGA HOSERS (Sundance Film Festival 2016, Midnight section) (Lily-Rose Depp, Harley Quinn Smith, Johnny Depp, Michael Parks, Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment and Genesis Rodriguez).
About Bow and Arrow
Bow and Arrow is an entertainment company designed with the current state of media in mind. Bow and Arrow strives to work with emerging filmmakers in an effort to bring new voices to the medium of film.
Recent films include 2015 Venice Film Festival double Lion winner THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER from director Brady Corbet starring Berenice Bejo and Robert Pattinson; 2015 Berlinale and SXSW entry ONE AND TWO starring Kiernan Shipka; SHANGRI-LA SUITE starring Emily Browning and Luke Grimes and GRASS STAINS starring Tye Sheridan and Kaitlin Dever. Upcoming films include 2016 Sundance Midnight entry 31 from Rob Zombie; AVENUES from writer/director Michael Angarano; POOR BOY starring Lou Taylor Pucci and Michael Shannon; KICKS from director Justin Tipping and HUMAN PEOPLE starring Abbi Jacobsen, Tavi Gevinson and Michael Cera.
The company recently created the Live Mas Scholarship in conjunction with Taco Bell and ad agency OKRP to provide college scholarships for non-traditional students.
Bow and Arrow partners are Matthew Perniciaro and Michael Sherman.
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Press Contacts
For Lionsgate:
Joanna Dodd Massey
310-255-3602
For Hulu:
Alexandra Finegersh
424-273-8130
For the Producers:
Marian Koltai-Levine
212-373-6130
