WWE sent out the following:
WWE STUDIOS AND LIONSGATE TO REPARTNER ON “ACTION SIX-PACK”
SANTA MONICA, CA, and STAMFORD, Conn. – May 22, 2014 – Lionsgate, the premier next generation global content leader, and WWE Studios are extending their longstanding partnership to encompass six new action films which will serve as starring vehicles for WWE Superstars as well as incubators for new and emerging talent, the two companies announced today.
The popular directing team of Jen and Sylvia Soska (SEE NO EVIL 2, AMERICAN MARY) will return to the WWE Studios and Lionsgate fold to direct VENDETTA, the first installment of the “Action Six-Pack” series, which will commence photography this summer and feature WWE Superstar Big Show®. The second installment of the “Six-Pack” series, which is currently in development, will commence photography this fall. WWE Studios will leverage its extensive multi-platform reach to promote each film.
Written by Justin Shady, VENDETTA centers on a hard-nosed detective who deliberately commits a crime to get thrown in prison, allowing him the chance to seek vengeance upon the criminal serving a life sentence for having brutally murdered the detective’s wife.
“This collection of six high octane films will not only excite our fans, but provide a stage for emerging and talented filmmakers like the Soska Sisters,” said Michael Luisi, WWE Studios President. He added, “We couldn’t have a better partner in this enterprise than Steve Beeks and the team at Lionsgate, who have been great teammates and are proven distributors of this genre.”
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Michael and his WWE team on a series of modestly-budgeted action films that extend our longstanding and successful partnership,” said Lionsgate Co-Chief Operating Officer and Motion Picture Group President Steve Beeks. “We have a strong track record in this genre, and we’re delighted to team with the WWE juggernaut to deliver action-packed event films that will resonate with their global fan base and beyond.”
WWE Studios and Lionsgate previously collaborated on THE CONDEMNED and SEE NO EVIL, as well as the upcoming 2014 releases LEPRECHAUN: ORIGINS and SEE NO EVIL 2. Bradley Buchanan, SVP of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of WWE Studios and Wendy Jaffe negotiated the deal on behalf of Lionsgate.
About WWE Studios
WWE Studios develops and produces feature films, as well as television and digital content. Its diverse slate is released theatrically, direct to home, and/or across digital platforms, and is co-produced & distributed through partnerships with premiere global entertainment companies including Sony Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox and Lionsgate. WWE’s film division, led by President Michael Luisi, is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. Recent films from WWE Studios include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David Otunga®, Oculus directed by Mike Flanagan starring Karen Gillan and Katee Sackhoff, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett®, No One Lives starring Luke Evans and WWE Superstar Brodus Clay™, and Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery, which paired WWE Superstars with Scooby and the gang. Upcoming films from WWE Studios include Term Life starring Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, and Hailee Steinfeld in a Universal Pictures release, Incarnate starring Aaron Eckhart and featuring WWE Superstar Mark Henry® in a Universal Pictures release of a Blumhouse production, The Flintstones which joins Fred, Barney and the whole Bedrock gang with stone age versions of WWE Superstars and Divas in a Warner Bros. Home Entertainment release, Jingle All the Way 2 starring Larry The Cable Guy and WWE Superstar Santino Marella® in a Fox Home Entertainment release, and Leprechaun: Origins directed by Zach Lipovsky and starring WWE Superstar Hornswoggle® in a Lionsgate release.
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, Miami, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Munich 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/.
