Lionsgate and Habbo team up to let millions of teens decide the fate of a Hollywood movie
- Innovative step in new media will allow Habbo users worldwide to determine the viability of
an animated feature film based on the Habbo virtual world taking place online January 2007
SANTA MONICA, CA/LOS ANGELES, CA, January 17, 2007 – Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the
leading independent filmed entertainment studio, goes viral this January as the company,
identifying the next step in new media opportunities, has partnered with HABBO, one of the world's
largest online communities for teenagers, to allow today's teens to determine the fate of a Habbo
animated release. Utilizing this interactive technology, Lionsgate will tap directly into the
online community for feedback on a potential filmmaking endeavor with Habbo. Starting on January
15, "Habbos" will be able to view ten very different animated shorts based on the Habbo World,
which will be posted on Habbo.com and local Habbo sites around the world and voted on by the
millions of registered users of these sites. The animated shorts were created in a variety of
styles - from CGI to flash to 2-D animation by renowned animation houses from around the world. The
"Habbos" will have the option to vote on whether or not Lionsgate should produce and distribute a
longer feature film based on their feedback on the animated shorts.
These ten "Habbo"-sodes will be available for 14 days, where registered users will be
invited into the venue to screen the shorts and vote "HABBO movie or not!" Based on the resulting
vote, Lionsgate and Habbo will determine whether to green light a full-length film, even using this
input to determine the genre and animation style of the movie. The resulting film would be released
both on DVD and online, distributed by Lionsgate.
"Lionsgate has established itself as a true leader in the distribution of family
entertainment and innovative marketing. Through this unique partnership with HABBO, we are going
directly to the online community and putting the power in their hands by allowing them to determine
what movie they want to see," said Michael Rathauser, Vice President of Marketing, Lionsgate. "This
partnership with Habbo will also provide us with valuable information and the opportunity to
explore new and different targeted electronic distribution platforms for content that resonates
within a very defined audience. It's an exciting new world of opportunity."
"We're proud to announce our partnership with Lionsgate. We were previously approached from
several major studios. However, Lionsgate stands out as an expert in the teen film market and they
share Sulake's commitment to quality, innovation and fun," said Teemu Huuhtanen, President, North
America, Sulake Corporation.
"Habbo-sodes were submitted by key animation studios located around the world and we
appreciate the immense talent contributed to this project. The opportunity to now position Habbo as
a leading distribution and promotional channel of all digital content from video to music is
tremendous. Furthermore, by integrating our millions of Habbo users into this project, we will be
spearheading a new kind of user-generated content as we empower them with the ability to determine
the future of this animated film," he added.
This partnership between Lionsgate and HABBO marks the second time the two companies have
collaborated to create a unique online experience for consumers. In July 2006, HABBO.com hosted a
virtual red-carpet premiere event for Ultimate Avengers 2, the highly-successful direct-to-DVD
Marvel Animated Feature. Tens of thousands of Habbos attended the screening, which was the first
time the online community was able to view 10 full minutes of a never-before-seen film prior to its
release.
The animations can be seen at
www.habbo.com/community/animation.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, winning this year's Best
Picture Academy Award® for CRASH, generating two consecutive years of $300 million-plus domestic
theatrical box office, operating a $500 million-plus home entertainment business and producing a
broad slate of prime time television series for fiscal 2007. It is a premier producer and
distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment,
and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 10,000 titles is a
valuable source of stable, recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core
businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in
markets around the world.
For more information, contact:
FOR LIONSGATE:
Adam Fenton/Lauren McCabe, Bender/Helper Impact, tel. +1-212-689-6360,
adam_fenton@bhimpact.com,
lauren_mccabe@bhimpact.com
Jodie Magid/Jennifer Sandler, Lionsgate, tel. +1-212-386-6885/+1-310-255-4072,
jmagid@lionsgate.com,
jsandler@lionsgate.com
FOR SULAKE:
Juhani Lassila, Communications Manager, Sulake Corporation, tel. +358 9 681 22 70,
juhani.lassila@sulake.com