Studio Plans to Have 40 Blu-ray Titles Available by End of 2007

List of Releases Includes Award Winning TV Series WEEDS Along With

Theatrical Hits DIRTY DANCING, BASIC INSTINCT and More

    SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Lionsgate (NYSE:  
 LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment company, today announced
 the studio's upcoming slate of titles on the next-generation
 high-definition Blu-ray Disc (BD). Headlining the announcement is one of
 the format's first-ever TV DVD releases as the Golden Globe(R)- winning and
 Emmy(R) Award nominated series WEEDS will be offered in high definition. In
 addition, Lionsgate will deliver (BD) versions of the top-selling Marvel
 Animated Series titles ULTIMATE AVENGERS and ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2. The
 studio will also unveil high definition versions of some of its most
 popular catalog titles including DIRTY DANCING and BASIC INSTINCT. Further
 details, including street dates and pricing, will be released at a later
 date for these and other Blu-ray titles. By end of 2007, the studio will
 have 40 Blu-ray titles on the market. The announcement was made at the
 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas by Lionsgate President, Steve Beeks.
     An early supporter of Blu-ray and the second studio to release titles
 on Blu-ray, Lionsgate has showcased to consumers the groundbreaking power
 of the technology in two of the studio's most recent releases -- THE
 DESCENT and CRANK (which hits stores on January 9). Both movies were
 released day and date with standard DVD as dual-layer (BD) 50 GB DVDs,
 setting the bar for maximizing the capabilities of the format. One of the
 most critically-acclaimed horror movies of 2006, THE DESCENT was the
 top-selling high definition release in its first week (December 26 -
 January 1) and boasted the format's third most successful debut to date.
 THE DESCENT is the first disc of either format to employ Picture in
 Picture, taking advantage of the full capacity of the disc, as well as the
 advanced BD Java Language that allows for seamless branching of multiple
 video and audio stream. Lionsgate has plans for numerous day and date
 Blu-ray and standard DVD releases for its theatrical slate throughout 2007
 including the upcoming releases of EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH on January 16 and
 SAW III on January 23.
     "There has never been a home entertainment experience available to mass
 audiences like Blu-ray, and Lionsgate will continue to deliver to consumers
 our top-line product with sound, audio and extras that are beyond anything
 they ever could have imagined," said Beeks. "As a company, we have always
 been at the forefront in utilizing technology to offer consumers the best
 viewing experience. Blu-ray's technological capabilities take home
 movie-watching to new levels."
     Other upcoming Blu-ray titles from Lionsgate include:
     *  CRANK (January 9)
     *  EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH (January 16)
     *  SAW II and III (January 23)
     *  AMERICAN PSYCHO (February 6)
     *  RAMBO FIRST BLOOD (February 6)
     *  RESERVOIR DOGS (February 6)
     *  YOUNG GUNS (February 6)
     *  ULTIMATE AVENGERS and ULTIMATE AVENGERS 2
     *  WEEDS (TV series)
     *  HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES
     *  NATIONAL LAMPOON'S VAN WILDER
     *  WAITING
     *  THE DEAD ZONE (TV series)
     *  REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
     *  PI
     *  CABIN FEVER
     *  MONSTER'S BALL
     *  DUNE
     *  BELLY
     Lionsgate's support for Blu-ray stems from the format's ability to help
 propel the home entertainment industry to the next level of performance.
 The studio has always aggressively supported emerging technologies that
 maximize value to the consumer. Lionsgate was the first studio release
 product on DVD-9, DVD-18, DVD+CD, the first to utilize Microsoft Windows
 Media 9 as well as the first studio after Sony to support the UMD format,
 and one of the frontrunners in acquiring VOD rights throughout its catalog.
     ABOUT BLU-RAY DISC:
     The Blu-ray Disc format provides nearly five times more data storage
 than DVD, with an unprecedented 25 GB (single-layer) and 50 GB (dual-layer)
 of capacity. Blu-ray Disc players are backward compatible with other disc
 formats and deliver the highest quality high-definition (HD) entertainment,
 while providing a secure playback environment through the use of the most
 advanced copy protection available.
     Blu-ray Disc was created to support the accelerating convergence
 between consumer electronics and information technology. The platform can
 also support numerous film, music, computer and game applications. Sony
 Computer Entertainment recently announced plans to utilize BD-ROM
 technology in their next-generation Playstation 3 system.
     Blu-ray is supported by more than 170 leading hardware and software
 manufacturers, including the leading innovators in the CE and IT
 industries.
     ABOUT LIONSGATE
     Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio,
 winning the 2006 Best Picture Academy Award(R) for CRASH, generating two
 consecutive years of $300 million-plus domestic theatrical box office,
 operating a $500 million-plus home entertainment business and producing a
 broad slate of prime time television series for fiscal 2007. It is a
 premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television
 programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, and video-on-demand
 content. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 10,000 titles is
 a valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and a foundation for the
 growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous
 with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
                             *    *    *    *    *
 
                               www.lionsgate.com
 
 
     For further information, contact:
 
     Adam Fenton/Elizabeth Atler        Jodie Magid/Jennifer Sandler
     BENDER/HELPER IMPACT               LIONSGATE
     212.689.6360                       212.386.6885/310.255.4072
     adam_fenton@bhimpact.com           jmagid@lionsgate.com
     elizabeth_atler@bhimpact.com       jsandler@lionsgate.com
 
 

SOURCE Lionsgate

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