(1) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/afm-2015-lionsgate-takes-us-837755
by Etan Vlessing
11/6/2015 9:43am PST
The StudioCanal thrillers will receive theatrical releases as part of deals inked in Santa Monica.
Lionsgate has acquired the U.S. distribution rights to two thrillers from StudioCanal, The Commuter, starring Liam Neeson, and Our Kind of Traitor, starring Ewan McGregor and Damian Lewis.
The deals stems from a distribution pact that sees the French-based studio distribute Lionsgate films in Germany, and Lionsgate handle the StudioCanal titles in North America. The Commuter has Neeson playing an ordinary businessman on his daily commute home, only to get caught up in a criminal conspiracy with life and death consequences.
Byron Willinger and Phil de Blasi co-wrote The Commuter, which is produced by The Picture Company’s Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman, with StudioCanal financing. The second thriller, Our Kind of Traitor, stars McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard, Damien Lewis and Naomie Harris, and is based on John Le Carre's 22nd novel about a left-leaning young Oxford academic and his barrister girlfriend on a Caribbean holiday, where they bump into a Russian oligarch.
That encounter sends them on a tortuous European journey amid the Russian mafia and Britain's Secret Service. Susanna White will direct Our Kind of Traitor, with The Ink Factory and Potboiler Productions producing.
Theatrical releases are in the works for both StudioCanal titles, with Roadside Attractions set to release Our Kind of Traitor in mid-2016, and The Commuter to get a planned wide release in summer 2017. The U.S. distribution deals were unveiled at AFM by Lionsgate co-COO and motion picture group president Steve Beeks and StudioCanal president of international distribution and marketing Rodolphe Buet.
Updated, Nov. 6, 15:40 p.m. New details on theatrical release plans for the StudioCanal titles added.
(2)
Lionsgate Buys Liam Neeson’s ‘The Commuter,’ Ewan McGregor’s ‘Our Kind of Traitor’
November 6, 2015 | 09:04AM PT
Dave McNary m Film Reporter
@Variety_DMcNary
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/lionsgate-the-commuter-liam-neeson-our-kind-of-traitor-ewan-mcgregor-1201635263/
Lionsgate is buying U.S. rights for a pair of suspense films from StudioCanal — Liam Neeson’s upcoming “The Commuter,” and the completed “Our Kind of Traitor,” starring Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts.
The deals were closed Friday at the American Film Market.
“The Commuter,” which will be shot in New York in the spring, centers on a businessman caught up in a criminal conspiracy during his daily commute home. The movie is being produced by The Picture Company’s Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman with StudioCanal.
No director is attached to “The Commuter,” which has a script written by Hossein Amini, Byron Willinger and Phil de Blasi.
“Our Kind of Traitor,” which was filmed last year by Susanna White, is based on the John le Carre novel of the same name. The story centers on a couple who are on vacation in Morocco and run afoul of a Russian oligarch, played by Stellan Skarsgard, leading to a journey through Paris, the Swiss Alps and London.
“Traitor” was produced by The Ink Factory and Potboiler Productions.
The distribution deals for the two films extend Lionsgate’s relationship with StudioCanal, which already includes an output deal for distribution of Lionsgate films in Germany, Lionsgate’s distribution of the StudioCanal library in North America and the Elevation Sales home entertainment joint venture that operates in the U.K.
“’The Commuter’ and ‘Our Kind of Traitor’ are two suspenseful, action-packed, star-driven additions to our film slate that we expect to continue our successful partnership with Studio Canal dating back to our breakout hit ‘The Last Exorcist,’” said Lionsgate’s Steve Beeks.
The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.
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