Nearly two months ahead of its U.S. debut on Thursday, March 9 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), a premier next generation global content leader, has signed major international format deals for its highly anticipated reality series Kicking & Screaming. It was announced today by Lionsgate President of International Television & Digital Distribution, Peter Iacono.
Format rights covering France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have been licensed to leading international production group Banijay. Lionsgate has also finalized a deal with Sony Pictures Television Networks’ VIASAT for the format and series rights in Hungary, where it will be broadcast on VIASAT3.
The deals with leading international producers well in advance of the show’s U.S. premiere reflect the tremendous demand for the first of Lionsgate’s major network reality brands as the Company continues to grow its stature in the nonscripted space.
Carlotta Rossi Spencer, Head of Global Format Acquisitions at Banijay, commented, “Kicking & Screaming is the kind of truly entertaining, large scale adventure series which Banijay’s locally based teams produce so well. Our broadcast clients are reassured by our first-hand experience in creating successful big formats such as Fort Boyard and 71 Degrees North, and we look forward to bringing this exciting new reality concept to European audiences.”
“The format deals for Kicking & Screaming with world-class partners Banijay and Sony reflect the tremendous international demand for what we expect to become a global reality brand,” said Iacono. “We’re delighted to entrust this incredible property to the talented and experienced creative teams of the leading producers in each of these territories. We’re confident that the show is in great hands.”
“These deals reflect not only the excitement that Kicking & Screaming is creating as we head into NATPE but the growing momentum of our entire slate of nonfiction programming,” said Lionsgate Senior Vice President of Alternative Programming Sales, Ted Bookstaver. “We’re proud to offer our buyers a portfolio of non-scripted series distinguished by its depth, diversity and superior quality.”
Kicking & Screaming teams 10 expert survivalists with pampered partners to face the toughest challenges of their lives. From executive producer Matt Kunitz (Wipeout, Fear Factor), in association with Lionsgate Television, and hosted by Hannah Simone (New Girl), the comedic competition series drops these unlikely duos into a tropical jungle in Fiji, where they must team together not only to brave obstacles, adversity and the elements… but to survive each other. To win the competition and a cash prize, the experts will have to drag their partners, Kicking & Screaming, to the finish line.
