Lionsgate Scores Again on the DVD Charts - Spirits are High With the Chart-Topping Home Entertainment Debut of Frank Miller's Action-Adventure Film THE SPIRIT

Lionsgate Scores Again on the DVD Charts - Spirits are High With the Chart-Topping Home Entertainment Debut of Frank Miller's Action-Adventure Film THE SPIRIT

Starring Eva Mendes, Scarlett Johansson and Samuel L. Jackson, THE SPIRIT, written for the screen and directed by Frank Miller, continues Lionsgate's string of highly successful DVD releases

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and VANCOUVER, British Columbia, April 23
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- THE SPIRIT, produced by Odd Lot Entertainment and Lionsgate and released by Lionsgate(R) (NYSE:LGF), a leading next generation studio, has debuted as the number one new release on the DVD sales charts with more than 1 million units sold in its first week. The release generated compelling numbers across all revenue formats, ranking as the number one Blu-ray release for the week and the number two movie download on the iTunes store. THE SPIRIT ranked #2 overall, continuing Lionsgate's recent winning streak on the DVD and Blu-Ray charts.

The title also achieved the highest box office-to-DVD conversion rate for all major DVD releases this week and is likely to reach nearly $30 million in total home entertainment consumer spend, or nearly 135% of its box office.

The strong home entertainment debut of THE SPIRIT marks the latest in a string of highly successful Lionsgate theatrical titles released on DVD in recent months. BANGKOK DANGEROUS, an action film starring Nicolas Cage, is projected to gross about $33 million in DVD consumer spend (215% of box office), TRANSPORTER 3, the latest installment of the internationally acclaimed franchise, is expected to gross about $53 million in consumer spend (167% of box office), and the Marvel action title PUNISHER: WAR ZONE, will achieve about $25 million in consumer spend (a whopping 312% of box office). All three titles have higher box office-to-DVD conversion rates than any other first quarter 2009 releases with $5 million box office or more. Lionsgate's current home entertainment year to date market share is more than 8%, according to Nielsen/Rentrak, and the Company continues to achieve the highest box office-to-DVD revenue conversion rate of any studio.

"The Spirit combined tremendous star power with the incredible popularity and visual storytelling of Frank Miller, to make it a highly anticipated home entertainment release across all formats," said Ron Schwartz, Lionsgate General Manager and Executive Vice President. "Lionsgate's successful box office-to-DVD conversion rate is a direct result of our overall strategy to focus on releasing films in our sweet spot-- R and edgier PG-13 rated films. We look at movies and franchises that have the potential to perform in all iterations and action movies like The Spirit, Transporter 3, Bangkok Dangerous and Punisher: War Zone embody this approach."

SYNOPSIS/EXTRA FEATURES

From Frank Miller, the creator of 300 and Sin City, comes the re-awakening of a hero unlike any other - THE SPIRIT. Adapted from the legendary comic book series created by Comic Book Hall of Famer Will Eisner, THE SPIRIT fuses masterful storytelling with brilliant CGI graphics to sweep viewers into a stylized world of action, adventure, danger and romance. It is the story of a former rookie cop who returns mysteriously from the dead as the Spirit (Gabriel Macht) to fight crime from the shadows of Central City. His arch-enemy, The Octopus (Jackson), has a different mission: he's going to wipe out Spirit's beloved city as he pursues his own bid for immortality. The Spirit tracks this cold-hearted killer from Central City's rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront...all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill our masked crusader. Surrounding him at every turn are Ellen Dolan (Sarah Paulson), the whip-smart girl-next-door; Silken Floss (Johansson), a calculating and driven vixen; Plaster of Paris (Paz Vega), a murderous French nightclub dancer; Lorelei (Jaime King), an angel of Death; and Morgenstern (Stana Katic), a sexy young cop. Then of course, there's Sand Saref (Eva Mendes), the jewel thief with dangerous curves. She's the love of his life turned bad. Will he save her or will she kill him? In the vein of Batman Begins and Sin City, THE SPIRIT takes us on a sinister, gut-wrenching ride with a hero who is born, murdered and born again.

THE SPIRIT Blu-ray Disc and 2-disc Special Edition DVD contain thrilling bonus materials including multiple featurettes, an alternate storyboard ending with cast voiceovers and feature film audio commentary by the screenwriter/director and producer. They both also feature a standard definition digital copy of the film. The Blu-ray Disc contains an additional featurette not found on the DVD and marks the debut of the first LIONSGATE LIVE(TM) enabled title for the studio. LIONSGATE LIVE(TM) is a unique BD Live based menu system that delivers updateable exclusive content such as commentaries, games, ringtones, wallpapers, trailers and much more via a series of on-screen notifications and widgets. LIONSGATE LIVE(TM) will be available on select theatrical titles throughout 2009. The Blu-ray Disc also features Molog, which allows users to insert and animate shapes, text, audio and other graphics right into the film as well as post "blogs" about the film to share with other registered MOLOG(TM) users.

2-DISC SPECIAL EDITION DVD FEATURES
DISC ONE:
-- "Green World" featurette - a look at the technical wizardry behind the
making of the film
-- "Miller on Miller" featurette - a look at the artistry of Frank Miller
-- Alternate storyboard ending with voiceovers by Samuel L. Jackson and
Gabriel Macht
-- Audio commentary by Frank Miller and Deborah Del Prete

-- Theatrical trailer

DISC TWO:

-- Digital Copy of the feature film

BLU-RAY DISC SPECIAL FEATURES
DISC ONE:
-- "Green World" featurette - a look at the technical wizardry behind the
making of the film
-- "Miller on Miller" featurette - a look at the artistry of Frank Miller
-- "History Repeats" featurette - an in-depth look at the origin of The
Spirit as well as Will Eisner's influence and vision in the comic book
world
-- Alternate storyboard ending with voiceovers by Samuel L. Jackson and
Gabriel Macht
-- Audio commentary by Frank Miller and Deborah Del Prete
-- MoLog(TM) - Movie Blog network connected community and interactive
movie blog tool set

-- LIONSGATE LIVE(TM) enabled Theatrical trailer

DISC TWO:

-- Standard Definition Digital Copy of the feature film

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is a leading next generation studio with a strong and diversified presence in the production and distribution of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment, video-on-demand and digitally delivered content. The Company is leveraging its content leadership and marketing expertise to create a multiplatform global industry leader in entertainment through the recent acquisition of TV Guide Network, one of the 25 most widely distributed cable networks, the recent acquisition of TV Guide.com, a premier content and navigation portal, partnerships that include the FEARnet branded VOD and Internet horror channel with Sony and Comcast, the expected fall 2009 launch of EPIX, a new premium entertainment channel with partners Viacom and MGM, investment in the leading young men's digital distribution platform Break.com, ownership of the premier independent television syndication company Debmar-Mercury and an alliance with independent filmed entertainment production and distribution company Roadside Attractions.

The Company is a market share leader at the North American theatrical box office for calendar 2009 due to recent theatrical box office successes such as TYLER PERRY'S MADEA GOES TO JAIL, the second highest-grossing film in Lionsgate history, MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D and THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT. Other recent successes include SAW V, RELIGULOUS, FORBIDDEN KINGDOM, RAMBO and THE BANK JOB. Lionsgate has forged a strong position in television with the production of such critically-acclaimed series as "Mad Men," "Weeds" and "Crash," the distribution of Tyler Perry's "House of Payne," "Family Feud" and "South Park," and upcoming shows including Tyler Perry's "Meet The Browns" and "The Wendy Williams Show." In addition, the Company's home entertainment business, propelled by such recent DVD successes as TRANSPORTER 3, SAW V and TYLER PERRY'S THE FAMILY THAT PREYS, is the industry leader in box office-to-DVD conversion rate and has market share of nearly 7%. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 12,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand remains synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

www.lionsgate.com

For Press Inquiries Contact:
Jodie Magid/Jennifer Sandler
212-386-6885/ 310-255-4072
Jmagid@lionsgate.com/jsandler@lionsgate.com

For Lionsgate Corporate Inquiries, Contact:
Peter D. Wilkes
310-255-3726
pwilkes@lionsgate.com

Source: Lionsgate

CONTACT: Press, Jodie Magid, +1-212-386-6885, Jmagid@lionsgate.com, or
Jennifer Sandler, +1-310-255-4072, jsandler@lionsgate.com, or Corporate, Peter
D. Wilkes, +1-310-255-3726, pwilkes@lionsgate.com, all of Lionsgate

Web Site: http://www.lionsgate.com/

-------
Profile: intent