email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

DISTRIBUTION UK

Lions Gate swallows Redbus

by 

Independent UK distribution outfits seem to be favourite preys for Canadian entertainment groups. As for Momentum Pictures under the aegis of Toronto-based Alliance Atlantis, another UK independent Redbus Film Distribution is now controlled by one of North America’s leading independent entertainment production and distribution studio, Lions Gate Entertaiment (LGE) with head offices in Vancouver and Los Angeles.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Announced on Tueday by the companies’ respective CEO Jon Feltheimer from Lions Gate and Simon Franks from Redbus, the deal estimated at $35m allows Lions Gate to self-distribute its films in the UK, one of the largest territories outside North America, and gives it access to Redbus’s 130 title-library including successful films such as Bend It Like Beckham [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
or Jeepers Creepers. The important part of the transaction is that the executive team of Redbus, Franks as well as distribution president Zygi Kamasa and Head of theatrical distribution Chris Bailey will continue to run the day-to-day operation of the UK company.
"I look forward to working with Simon, Zygi, Chris and their team", said Lions Gate International President Nick Meyer. "The Redbus transaction expands our array of resources for maximizing the value of Lions Gate content internationally and extends our control over the success of our product pipeline. The acquisition comes at a time when the international market is poised for additional growth in several key media sectors including home entertainment, television and digital distribution". As for Simon Franks, he said that the Lions Gate transaction is "as a superb opportunity" to take his business "to the next level of growth".

Founder of Redbus Group -a private UK based media group- Franks, a former JP Morgan banker set up Redbus Film Distribution in 1998 with Zygi Kamasa. In 2000 the company absorbed the majority of Polygram UK theatrical releasing team led by Chris Bailey and then formed a joint-distribution alliance with Germany’s Helkon Media (Helkon Filmverleih). In 2001, Helkon bought 51% of Redbus but had to file for insolvency in 2002. It took then over two years for Redbus’ executive team to claim back Helkon’s stake in their company.

Lions Gate line-up includes mostly US titles, but also some more arthouse commercial films such as the Berlin 2005 competition entry Terry George’s Hotel Rwanda [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Don Cheadle
interview: Terry George
film profile
]
. In the US, Lions Gate Films releases a mix of commercial and arthouse titles such as Gianni Amelio’s The Keys To The House [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
or Dominik Moll’s Lemning [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
.
Although the new Redbus under Lions Gate aegis will have less space in its theatrical line-up to handle local or European titles, it will be able to offer the few European pick ups it will make, a direct access to US distribution as well.
Redbus recently released the French/UK gangster film Revolver by Guy Ritchie which grossed over £1.6m, and upcoming titles include UK films The Best Man by Stefan Schwartz and Michael Winterbottom’s A Cock & Bull Story as well as Greek hit A Touch Of Spice by Tassos Boulmetis.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy