News

LOS ANGELES (January 16, 2018) – Los Angeles-based film acquisition and distribution company Saban Films has acquired North American rights to Pasha Patriki’s Black Water, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme (Universal Soldier, Kickboxer), and Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables 2). The action thriller which marks the fifth collaboration between Van Damme and Lundgren, was produced by Jason Cherubini, Alexander Ferguson, Tyler W. Konney and Richard Switzer for Dawn’s Light Productions. Saban Films is planning a theatrical release in Q2 of 2018. Written by Chad Law, with a story by Law, Konney and Switzer, Black Water follows a deep cover operative who awakens to find himself imprisoned in a CIA black site on a submarine. With the help of a fellow prisoner and an amateur agent, Wheeler (Van Damme) must race against the clock to escape the vessel and expose who set him up. “Jean-Claude and Dolph are a powerhouse duo, it’s refreshing to see them fighting on the same side for a change,” said Saban Films’ Bill…

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LOS ANGELES (December 19, 2017) – Los Angeles-based film acquisition and distribution company Saban Films has acquired North American rights to Alexandre Moors’ The Yellow Birds, starring Tye Sheridan (Mud), Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!), Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine), Jason Patric (Speed 2: Cruise Control) with Jack Huston (American Hustle) and Jennifer Aniston (“Friends,” Office Christmas Party, Cake). The war drama, which made its World Premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize for Best Cinematography, was produced by Courtney Solomon and Mark Canton for Cinelou Films, and Jeff Sharp for Story Mining & Supply Company. Saban Films is planning a theatrical release in Spring 2018. Written by David Lowery and R.F.I. Porto, and based on the novel by Kevin Powers, The Yellow Birds follows two young soldiers, Bartle (Ehrenreich) and Murph (Sheridan), who navigate the terrors of the Iraq war under the command of the older, troubled Sergeant Sterling. All the while, Bartle is haunted by a promise he…

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CRIME THRILLER STARS JOHN HAWKES, ANTHONY ANDERSON, ROBERT FORSTER AND OCTAVIA SPENCER; WILL HAVE FOURTH QUARTER RELEASE IN THEATERS AND ACROSS MULTIPLE PLATFORMS LOS ANGELES – March 20, 2017 – Following the world premiere at SXSW, Saban Films and DIRECTV have acquired the North American rights to Small Town Crime, financed and developed by Avva pictures, which was written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms (Waffle Street, Night of the Dog, Lost on Purpose).  The film stars Academy Award® Nominee John Hawkes (Winter's Bone, American Gangster, The Sessions), Golden Globe® Nominee Anthony Anderson (“black-ish,” The Departed), Academy Award® Nominee Robert Forster (Jackie Brown, The Descendants), and Academy Award® Winner Octavia Spencer (Hidden Figures, The Help). Small Town Crime follows ex-cop Mike Kendall (John Hawkes) who discovers the body of a young woman and, in an act of self-redemption, becomes hellbent on finding the killer. While his un-couth and quirky detective style helps break open the case, his dogged determination unwittingly puts his sister (Octavia Spencer) and best friend (Anthony Anderson) in…

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LOS ANGELES – April XX, 2017 – Saban Films has acquired North American distribution rights to Alexandros Avranas’ True Crimes starring Golden Globe Winner Jim Carrey and Charlotte Gainsbourg (Melancholia, Nymphomaniac: Vol. I).  RatPac Entertainment’s Brett Ratner and John Cheng, InterTitle Films’ David Gerson, Los Angeles Media Fund’s Jeffrey Soros, and Simon Horsman produced the crime thriller, which made its World Premiere at the Warsaw Film Festival and screened at the Berlin International Film Festival. Written by Jeremy Brock (The Last King of Scotland), True Crimes is based on a New Yorker article about the homicide investigation of a slain business man and the novelist eventually convicted of the murder. “Jim’s versatility as an actor is truly remarkable and one-of-a-kind. We look forward to working with him and the rest of the team behind True Crimes,” said Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley. “We are confident our audiences will engage with this gripping real-life account.” Ness Saban and Bill Bromiley negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban…

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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…

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BERLIN (February 10, 2017) – Saban Films has acquired the North American distribution rights to Tim Smit’s Redivider starring Dan Stevens (Beauty and the Beast, “Downton Abbey”) and Bérénice Marlohe (Skyfall, “Twin Peaks”). Patrick Chu produced the film for FilmNation Entertainment alongside Tim Smit, and Sander Verdonk and Denis Wigman for CTM Films. The film is currently in post-production. Based on Smit’s short What’s In The Box?, the sci-fi film is co-written by Charlie Kindinger and Omid Nooshin. Set in a futuristic world, the video game style plot follows a pilot battling to save his family after an experiment for unlimited energy, harnessing parallel universes, goes wrong. “Smit’s previous work in VFX is evident throughout this film, and his experience working within the action and sci-fi genre takes his feature debut to a spectacular level,” said Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley. “This will be a unique film that will captivate our audiences with its heavy visuals and thought-provoking plotlines.” “We are thrilled to work with Saban on…

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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…

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LOS ANGELES – March 24, 2016 – Saban Films is acquiring North American distribution rights to horror thriller 31, the latest film from visionary mastermind Rob Zombie (House of 1000 Corpses, The Devil’s Rejects Halloween and Lords of Salem). The film stars Sheri Moon Zombie (The Devil’s Rejects, Halloween), Golden Globe® Nominee Malcolm McDowell (“Mozart in the Jungle,” A Clockwork Orange), Jeff Daniel Phillips (The Lords of Salem) and Meg Foster (The Lords of Salem). Zombie wrote and directed the film, which made its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival and will have a September 16th release. ​31 follows five carnival workers who are kidnapped and held hostage in an abandoned, Hell-like compound where they are forced to participate in a violent game, the goal of which is to survive twelve hours against a gang of sadistic clowns. “31 is a treat not just to horror fans, but fans of true auteur filmmaking,” said Saban Films President Bill Bromiley. “The film is executed in…

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LOS ANGELES – May 20 2016 – Saban Films is closing in on the North American distribution rights to War on Everyone, written and directed by the universally acclaimed John Michael McDonagh (The Guard, Calvary). The action comedy, which made its World Premiere at the 2016 Berlinale followed by its U.S. Premiere at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival, stars Michael Peña (The Martian, Fury), Alexander Skarsgård (The Legend of Tarzan, “True Blood”),  Theo James (Divergent franchise), and Tessa Thompson (Creed, Selma). ​ War on Everyone follows two corrupt cops in New Mexico who set out to blackmail and frame every criminal unfortunate enough to cross their path. Things take a sinister turn, however, when they try to intimidate someone who is more dangerous than they are. Or is he? Writer and director, John Michael McDonagh said, “In an era of increasingly heightened tensions across America between law enforcement agencies and the communities they vow to serve and protect, it gives me great pleasure to announce that Saban…

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LOS ANGELES – February 15, 2016 – Saban Films has acquired the US distribution rights to action comedy Skiptrace, directed by Renny Harlin (The Legend of Hercules, Die Hard 2) and written by Jay Longino and BenDavid Grabinski. The film stars Jackie Chan (Rush Hour franchise, The Karate Kid), Johnny Knoxville (Jackass series), and Bingbing Fan (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Iron Man 3) and will open theatrically in Q3 this year. Skiptrace follows a Hong Kong detective Bennie Black (Chan), who has been tracking a dangerous crime boss, Victor Wong, for over a decade. When Bennie’s beautiful young goddaughter Bai (Fan Bingbing) gets into trouble with Wong’s crime syndicate, he comes to the rescue and must track down the only man who can help her – a fast-talking American gambler named Connor Watts (Knoxville) who is also on the run from the mob. The unlikely pair embarks on a hilarious adventure from the wind-swept dunes of the Gobi Desert to the fantastical karst mountains…

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