The following press release was issued today:
SABAN FILMS ACQUIRES JOHN STOCKWELL’S ARMED RESPONSE FROM WWE® STUDIOS
GENE SIMMONS AND EREBUS PICTURES FILM STARS WESLEY SNIPES, ANNE HECHE, GENE SIMMONS AND DAVE ANNABLE
LOS ANGELES – Saban Films has acquired North American distribution rights from WWE Studios, Gene Simmons and Erebus Pictures to Emmy Nominated John Stockwell’s (Blue Crush) Armed Response. The film stars Wesley Snipes (The Blade franchise, The Expendables 3), Anne Heche (Donnie Brasco, Psycho, “Hung”), WWE Superstar Seth Rollins®, Gene Simmons (KISS Co-Founder, Runaway, Wanted Dead Or Alive, Extract, Why Him) and Dave Annable (“Brothers & Sisters,” Little Black Book, What’s Your Number?).
The sci-fi thriller, written by Matt Savelloni, follows a team of highly trained operatives who find themselves trapped inside an isolated military compound after its AI is suddenly shut down. The crew begins to experience strange and horrific phenomena as they attempt to uncover what killed the previous team. The film is currently in post-production.
Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said: “Armed Response is a unique story, with the look and feel of a sci-fi epic. We’ve been fans of WWE for a long time, and it is great to be partners on this film.”
WWE Studios President Michael Luisi produced the film along with Gene Simmons under their Erebus Pictures banner. Bill Bromiley, Ness Saban and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban Films. WWE handled North American rights, with Voltage Pictures handling international sales.
Most recently, Saban Films acquired North American distribution rights to Alexandros Avranas’ True Crimes starring Golden Globe Winner Jim Carrey and Charlotte Gainsbourg. At SXSW, Saban Films and DIRECTV acquired Eshom and Ian Nelms’ Small Town Crime, starring John Hawkes, Anthony Anderson, Robert Forster, and Octavia Spencer.
Saban Films also acquired FilmNation’s sci-fi film Kill Switch starring Dan Stevens and Bérénice Marlohe and Roland Joffé’s The Forgiven starring Forest Whitaker and Eric Bana. The 2017 Saban Films slate includes: John Michael McDonagh’s War on Everyone starring Michael Peña, Alexander Skarsgård, Theo James, and Tessa Thompson; Colm McCarthy’s critically acclaimed apocalyptic thriller The Girl with All the Gifts starring six-time Academy Award® Nominee Glenn Close, Gemma Arterton and Paddy Considine; Walter Hill’s The Assignment starring Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver, Tony Shalhoub, Anthony LaPaglia; Jonathan Mostow’s The Hunter’s Prayer starring Sam Worthington and Odeya Rush; and Sean Penn’s The Last Face starring Charlize Theron and Javier Bardem.
Since the company’s launch in 2014, Saban Films has released 21 films including: The Homesman starring Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank; Tracers starring Taylor Lautner; Philip Martin’s The Forger starring John Travolta; Man Up starring Simon Pegg and Lake Bell; Tom Tykwer’s A Hologram for the King starring Tom Hanks; sci-fi horror film Cell starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson; I Am Wrath with John Travolta; Renny Harlin’s action comedy Skiptrace, starring Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville; Rob Zombie’s 31; and Zack Whedon’s feature debut Come and Find Me starring Emmy Award Winner Aaron Paul and Annabelle Wallis.
