Lionsgate Partners with Europacorp on Luc Besson’s Anna
Oct 10th, 2017
To Be Released by Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment Label and Produced By Besson’s EuropaCorp
Film Stars Academy Award® Winner Helen Mirren and Introduces Sasha Luss
SANTA MONICA, CA and VANCOUVER, BC, October 9, 2017 – Global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) today announced a co-production and distribution deal for the action film Anna, written and directed by Luc Besson, and produced by his company EuropaCorp. The film starts production this November and will be released under Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label.
Anna features a star-studded cast of Oscar®, Emmy® and Tony® award winner Helen Mirren (The Queen, The Last Station and Gosford Park) joined by Welsh actor Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women and the upcoming The Alienist), Cillian Murphy (Dunkirk and Peaky Blinders), and introduces Luc Besson’s newest discovery, Russian model Sasha Luss, as Anna.
“We are delighted to be reunited with Luc and his EuropaCorp team on another exciting, action-packed film featuring an A-list cast,” said Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Chairman Patrick Wachsberger and President of Acquisitions & Co-Productions Jason Constantine. “Luc is a visionary filmmaker with whom we are proud to extend our longstanding relationship.”
Besson directed the Scarlett Johansson-starrer Lucy, the futuristic The Fifth Element, Leon: The Professional, the Golden Globe® nominated La Femme Nikita and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets, and he also co-wrote and produced the hit action franchise Taken.
Marc Shmuger will produce on behalf of EuropaCorp.
Peter Nichols of Lichter Grossman Nichols Adler & Feldman negotiated the deal for Luc Besson and also reps Luss. Mirren is represented by CAA, Evans by WME and United Agents in the UK and Murphy by ICM Partners, The Lisa Richards Agency and Lou Coulson Associates.
The deal was negotiated for Lionsgate by Constantine, Eda Kowan, Executive Vice President, Acquisitions and Co-Productions, John Biondo, Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions and Elizabeth Hopkins, Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Acquisitions and Co-Productions. Marc Shmuger and Aaron Michiel, Executive Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated the deal on behalf of EuropaCorp.
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For more information, please contact:
Cristina Castañeda
Lionsgate
(310) 255-5114