LOS ANGELES – April XX, 2017 – Saban Films has acquired North American distribution rights to acclaimed director Ric Roman Waugh’s Shot Caller, starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (“Game of Thrones”), Lake Bell (Man Up, No Escape, In a World…), Jon Bernthal (“The Punisher,” Sicario), Emory Cohen (Brooklyn, The Place Beyond the Pines), Omari Hardwick (“Power,” “Being Mary Jane”), and Benjamin Bratt (Despicable Me 2, “Law & Order,” Miss Congeniality).
Written by Waugh, the crime drama follows a newly released prison gangster who is forced by the leaders of his gang to orchestrate a major crime with a brutal rival gang on the streets of Southern California.
Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said: “Shot Caller is raw, gritty, expertly crafted and perfectly cast.  We could not be more proud to partner with Bold Films and Participant Media to bring this important film to audiences across North America.”
Participant Media’s Jonathan King added: “Participant values our ongoing relationship with Ric, and we hope that Shot Caller extends the conversations around criminal justice reform that we started with our previous movie together, Snitch.  We are excited to be working for the first time with the strong team at Saban.”
Bold Films’ Gary Michael Walters said: “Ric evoked a powerful performance from Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Saban’s commitment to and passion for this material makes them the perfect home for Shot Caller.”
Waugh produced under his Cadre Filmworks banner alongside Jonathan King for Participant Media, and Bold Films’ Michel Litvak and Gary Michael Walters.  Bold Films’ Jeffrey Stott and Lisa Zambri, Rhodes Entertainment’s Matthew Rhodes, and Participant Media’s Jeff Skoll executive produced. Ness Saban, Bill Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban Films. WME handled North American rights.
Most recently, Saban Films acquired North American distribution rights from WWE Studios, Gene Simmons and Erebus Pictures to John Stockwell’s Armed Response starring Wesley Snipes, Anne Heche, WWE Superstar Seth Rollins®, Gene Simmons and Dave Annable; and to Alexandros Avranas’ True Crimes starring 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.
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 Participant Media
Participant Media (www.participantmedia.com) is the leading media company dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, Participant’s content combines the power of a good story well told with opportunities for real world impact and awareness around the most pressing global issues of our time. Participant’s more than 75 films, including Spotlight, Contagion, Lincoln, The Help, He Named Me Malala, The Look of Silence, CITIZENFOUR, Food, Inc., and An Inconvenient Truth, have collectively earned 52 Academy Award® nominations and 11 wins, including Best Picture for Spotlight. Participant’s digital entertainment division, SoulPancake (www.soulpancake.com), is an award-winning provider of thought-provoking, joyful, and uplifting digital content including such widely popular series as Kid President and The Science of Happiness and reaches an audience of nearly 9 million fans. Follow Participant Media on Twitter at @Participant and on Facebook and Instagram. Follow SoulPancake on Twitter @soulpancake and on Facebook and Instagram.
About Bold Films
Bold Films, founded in 2004 by Michel Litvak and Gary Michael Walters, is an independent entertainment production and finance company dedicated to providing an artistic haven for creative talent. Bold Films’ mission is to produce original, studio-quality films, which have worldwide commercial appeal. Bold Films has financed and produced Academy Award-nominated films, including Dan Gilroy’s Nightcrawler, which starred Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo and Bill Paxton; Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which starred Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons; and Nicholas Winding Refn’s Drive. Bold is currently in post-production on David Gordon Green’s Stronger, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, for Lionsgate. Bold’s previous releases include The Neon Demon, Bobby, Legion and No Escape.
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