German mini-major Leonine has extended its licensing deal with Lionsgate, securing rights in Germany and Austria for Lionsgate’s upcoming feature slate, including Keanu Reeves starrer John Wick 4.
Other titles in the deal, unveiled on Tuesday, include the John Wick spin-off Ballerina, starring Knives Out and No Time to Die actor Ana de Armas, the action thriller Shadow Force featuring Kerry Washington, the culture-clash comedy About My Father with Sebastian Maniscalco, and horror thriller Dear David starring Augustus Prew.
Financial terms of the agreement, which extends Leonine’s multi-year partnership with Lionsgate, weren’t disclosed. But it is a good sign for the struggling international theatrical business. Leonine boss Fred Kogel, for example, noted that all the titles in the new Lionsgate lineup “were made for the cinema.”
Leonine is expected to be a major buyer at Berlin’s European Film Market, which kicks off next week. The Munich-based group handled the German release of John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum, Knives Out and Hustlers.
Launched in 2019 with the merger of Tele München Group, Universum Film, i&u TV, Wiedemann & Berg Film and W&B Television and backing from private equity giant KKR, Leonine has since joined forces with fast-grown French group Mediawan to form Mediawan & Leonine, a holding company combining the two group’s pan-European media assets.
