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Lionsgate Welcomes Comedian/Actor Bernie Mac and Producing Partner Steven Greener Into Its Den
Studio Becomes Home to Award-Winning Star Under Multi-Year Multi-Faceted
First Look Agreement
SANTA MONICA, Calif., Aug. 24 -- Lionsgate
(NYSE: LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, announced
today that it has closed a multi-year, multi-faceted first-look deal with
celebrated comedian/actor/author Bernie Mac ("The Bernie Mac Show," GUESS
WHO, THE ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY) and Mac's producing partner Steven
Greener. Under the terms of the deal, Lionsgate will be home to Mac and
Greener's new production venture MacMan Entertainment, and the studio will
receive a first look at all film projects developed and produced by Mac and
Greener under their company banner.
The Mac/Greener deal marks the first time that Lionsgate has aligned
itself with an actor's independent production entity. The announcement was
made jointly by Lionsgate's President of Production Mike Paseornek and
President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions Peter Block.
Said Paseornek and Block, "Bernie Mac is a household name, and we are
thrilled to have him call Lionsgate home. He's incredibly talented, he's
versatile, and his appeal crosses all boundaries of race, class, gender,
ethnicity -- you name it. Bernie and Steven Greener make a terrific team,
and we know we can count on them for fresh and funny projects."
Said Mac and Greener, "Lionsgate is the perfect place to hang our hats.
They're a smart and exciting studio, and their marketing skills are second
to none. What's more, they're very well-rounded in terms of the
entertainment they develop, which gives us a lot of room to play with.
We're looking forward to doing great things with them."
Mac is fresh off production on Lionsgate's eagerly anticipated
fact-based inspirational drama PRIDE, co-starring Academy Award(R) nominee
Terrence Howard. The first project to be developed under the new deal will
be a concert film starring Mac, produced by Mac and Greener, and
distributed theatrically by Lionsgate. The film will mark Mac's first
concert project since he rocketed to national attention in the smash hit,
THE ORIGINAL KINGS OF COMEDY, directed by Spike Lee. Also under the deal,
Mac will host a minimum of four Dean Martin-style celebrity roasts which
will premiere on DVD.
The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Paseornek and Block, and by
Greener, Toni Howard of ICM and David Matloff, Esq. on behalf of Bernie
Mac.
ABOUT BERNIE MAC
One of America's best-loved comic talents, Bernie Mac has made his mark
in live stand-up, television, motion pictures and books. His eponymous
Peabody Award-winning family comedy "The Bernie Mac Show" recently
concluded its fifth and final season on Fox. The show celebrated its
milestone 100th episode, and was hailed as one of the top ten shows on
television by Time, Entertainment Weekly and TV Guide during the course of
the series run.
Mac has received numerous honors for his work on the program, including
the Television Critics Association Award for Best Individual Achievement in
Comedy, consecutive NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Series from 2003-2006, and a total of four Golden Globe and Emmy Award
nominations. His varied feature films include the #1 box office comedy
GUESS WHO; Steven Soderbergh's hit caper films OCEAN'S ELEVEN and OCEAN'S
TWELVE; MR. 3000; BAD SANTA; HEAD OF STATE; and CHARLIE'S ANGELS: FULL
THROTTLE. Mac's upcoming films include Lionsgate's inspirational fact-based
drama PRIDE, co-starring Terrence Howard, and OCEAN'S THIRTEEN.
Mac's first book, a collection of comic riffs entitled "I Ain't Scared
of You," which was published Fall 2001 by MTV/Pocket Books. This past April
saw release of his second book, the memoir "Maybe You Never Cry Again,"
published by Regan Books/Harper Collins.
Mac began his career as a stand-up comedian in the small comedy clubs
of his native Chicago. As a founding member of the "Kings of Comedy" comedy
tour, Mac displayed his trademark rapid fire and hard-hitting delivery. The
success of the tour spawned Spike Lee's 2000 concert film THE ORIGINAL
KINGS OF COMEDY, which has grossed nearly $40 million dollars.
ABOUT STEVEN GREENER
Steven Greener is a producer and personal manager. Since the sale of
his Union Entertainment firm to 3 Arts in March 2002, he has also served as
producer of "The Bernie Mac Show," MR. 3000 and GUESS WHO. Greener
previously ran Elephant Walk Entertainment for George Jackson and Doug
McHenry. Greener also produced ABOVE THE RIM for New Line Entertainment.
Formerly a Partner at Industry Entertainment, Greener joined Handprint
Entertainment in August 2006.
ABOUT LIONSGATE
Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio,
winning this year's 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 7,800 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.
http://www.lionsgate.com
SOURCE Lionsgate
http://www.lionsgate.com
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