With Starz set to become a pure play standalone public company by year end, CEO Jeff Hirsh is out talking up its strong points and how it competes in a crowded streaming landscape — price increases, bundling, and most importantly, he said, containing content costs with a slate of new shows in development as later … Read more
Lionsgate Vice Chair Michael Burns said the company is set to split in two by year end with a first step in early April as the studio merges with a SPAC and starts to trade separately from Starz on the Nasdaq under the stock symbol LION. For tax reasons, the parent company will retain 87% … Read more
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer conceded to having a degree of concern about IATSE‘s July 31 strike deadline, but he remains “hopeful” that a work stoppage can be averted. “I’m the CEO of a public company. I worry about everything every day,” the exec said in response to a Wall Street analyst’s question about IATSE during … Read more
Lionsgate Television Chairman Kevin Beggs says a transformed marketplace has taken shape in the wake of last year’s dual strikes and waves of cost-cutting affecting many TV players. “They’re ordering fewer shows, and there’s a lot of focus on the budget levels of those shows and a little more financial discipline compared to the bake-off … Read more
Lionsgate posted better-than-expected earnings in its fiscal third quarter, even as the dual strikes of 2023 took a bite out of its television business. The company, which is poised to split into two separate publicly traded entities in the coming months, reported adjusted earnings per share of 27 cents in the quarter ended December 31. … Read more
EXCLUSIVE: Nathan Fillion is expanding his producing role, announcing the launch of his production company, Collision33, which has inked a first-look deal with Lionsgate. Collision33 was formed by Fillion and his longtime manager and producing partner, Michelle Chapman. Industry veteran Josh Levy is set to head up development for the company and will play a … Read more
Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer expressed an optimistic view of the movie business – at least the way it is approached by his cost-conscious executive team. During a conference call with Wall Street analysts to discuss the forthcoming split of the company’s film and TV operations from Starz, Feltheimer said the key is to avoid “crazy … Read more
Roku was a champ. Lionsgate surged and Netflix jumped. Tech shares went bananas in 2023. Big media stocks had a mixed year of transition dominated by Hollywood strikes with linear television declines and streaming losses. Paramount fell. Disney and Fox were basically flat on the year. Giants Comcast and Sony, which both have other businesses … Read more
Lionsgate said today its acquisition of global entertainment platform eOne from Hasbro is done. The transaction announced last August adds 6,500 film and television titles to Lionsgate’s large library; diversifies and strengthens its scripted and unscripted television businesses; extends its portfolio of brands and franchises; and expands its presence in Canada and the UK. The … Read more
Lionsgate‘s long-gestating plan to split the studio with Starz is finally a go as the company announced today that Studios — the TV studio, motion picture group and film and television libraries — will merge with Screaming Eagle Acquisition Corp., a SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) led by Eli Baker. The transaction sets a $4.6-billion enterprise value … Read more
