LOS ANGELES – April 6, 2017 – 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.
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About Saban Films
Saban Films, an affiliate of Saban Capital Group (“SCG”), is a film acquisition and distribution company which acquires high-quality, feature films to distribute in North America. Focusing on commercial, talent driven films, the company looks at projects in all stages of production for release across multiple platforms, including a day and date theatrical/VOD release strategy. Based in Los Angeles, Saban Films was established by Haim Saban, SCG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and is led by Bill Bromiley who serves as president, Shanan Becker, Chief Financial Officer and Ness Saban, Director of Business Development.
About WWE Studios
WWE Studios develops and produces feature films, as well as television and digital content. Its diverse slate is released theatrically, direct to home, and/or across digital platforms, and is co-produced & distributed through partnerships with premier global entertainment companies. WWE’s film division, led by President Michael Luisi, is headquartered in Santa Monica, CA.
Films from WWE Studios include The Call with Halle Berry and WWE Superstar David Otunga®, Oculus directed by Mike Flanagan starring Karen Gillan and Katee Sackhoff, Dead Man Down with Colin Farrell and WWE Superstar Wade Barrett®, Incarnate starring Aaron Eckhart and featuring WWE Superstar Mark Henry®, The Resurrection of Gavin Stone starring Brett Dalton, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes and WWE Legend Shawn Michaels®; and animated films, Surf’s Up 2: WaveMania, Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania® Mystery, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Speed Demon and The Flintstones Stone Age Smackdown.
Upcoming films from WWE Studios include The Jetsons & WWE: Robo-WrestleMania with WWE Superstars Big Show®, Alicia Fox™, Roman Reigns®, Seth Rollins® and Sheamus®, the Sundance film Sleight starring Jacob Latimore, Dulé Hill and Seychelle Gabriel, Killing Hasselhoff starring Ken Jeong and David Hasselhoff, and Brother’s Blood starring Trey Songz and WWE Superstar R-Truth®.
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