SAN JOSE, Calif. and NEW YORK, NY—Roku has announced that it will be the North American streaming home for the inaugural Enhanced Games on May 24.

The Enhanced Games are an elite sports competition that aims to celebrate athletic excellence while exploring the limits of human performance with scientific innovation and medically approved performance enhancement usage.

The first-of-its-kind sporting event, available for free on the Roku Sports Channel in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.

Hosted by former NFL player and sports media star Emmanuel Acho, the Enhanced Games will also feature documented longevity expert Bryan Johnson as a Human Enhancement Analyst.

Participating athletes include the legendary Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson, known for his role as “The Mountain” on “Game of Thrones,” British Olympic medalist Ben Proud, American Olympic medalist Fred Kerley, and Olympic weightlifter Boady Santavy. Olympic gold medalist swimmer Hunter Armstrong of the U.S. and sprinter Tristan Evelyn of Barbados will also take on the field as non-enhanced athletes.

The Enhanced Games will take place in a purpose-built 2500-seat venue on the grounds of Resorts World in Las Vegas, with swimming, sprinting, and weightlifting events occurring in one arena. Las Vegas’ own The Killers are set to headline the closing ceremonies.

“We look forward to bringing Roku users across North America the excitement and energy of this one-of-a-kind competition,” said Joe Franzetta, head of sports, Roku. “Congratulations to Enhanced Games on their inaugural event, and we’re excited to work together to bring this live event to millions of viewers.”

“As a new and innovative live sports property, we are ecstatic to have Roku as our official North American partner,” said Maximilian Martin, CEO of Enhanced. “Roku provides us immense reach and helps establish a solid foundation as we aim to revolutionize sports with our inaugural event.”

The Enhanced Games endeavor to ensure the athletes’ safety through rigorous medical supervision and scientific oversight. Athletes have been monitored under an approved clinical trial for 16 weeks while training in the UAE. All athletes have the autonomy to compete either naturally or through the Enhanced Medical Program (clinical trial). For more details, see www.enhanced.com.

The Enhanced Games is a Van Wagner production in association with Lionsgate Alternative Television.

COLUMBIA, Md.—Lionsgate and its TV syndicator subsidiary Debmar-Mercury have selected LTN to launch and deliver the new MovieSphereGold all-movie digital network via LTN’s multicast-enabled, purpose-built IP video distribution network.

MovieSphereGold is available in 38 million homes and continues to expand its reach across pay-TV, streaming platforms and local station groups reaching more than 86% of U.S. TV households.

The movie network is said to be the first contemporary all-movie digital network. It features premium films from Lionsgate’s 20,000-title library, including franchises like ”The Hunger Games,” “John Wick” and ”Rambo.”

LTN’s footprint and distribution expertise give MovieSphereGold seamless access to stations across all major broadcast groups, multichannel video programming distributors and virtual MVPDs including DirecTV, Dish TV, Frndly TV and Sling Freestream. LTN relies upon broadcast-grade, Transport Stream over Internet Protocol (IP-TS) video distribution technology to provide the network with a cost-efficient, reliable and flexible alternative to satellite, LTN said.

“Purpose-built LTN multicast IP-TS distribution is now the primary choice for established and new networks that want to reliably and cost-efficiently reach traditional and digital platforms,” LTN Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Malik Khan said. “Premium movie experiences hold viewer attention and drive strong ad value. MovieSphereGold is an innovative launch and a recognition of the readiness and footprint of our network, which is on course to reach 100% of U.S. pay-TV households in 2026.”

The network launch was completed in three months with LTN enabling instant activation across existing delivery points while rapidly onboarding dozens of new affiliates and hand-off sites as part of a fully managed service.

LTN enabled MovieSphereGold to deliver its high-quality HD feed while quickly providing downconverted standard-definition feeds to meet the varying needs of downstream takers. LTN’s always-on technical operations center is providing MovieSphereGold with full visibility and operational support that includes real-time feed visibility and insights into signal performance across its entire nationwide distribution footprint, the company said.

More information is available on the company’s website.

SANTA MONICA & NEW YORK—Lionsgate’s Worldwide Television Distribution Group and Debmar-Mercury have launched MovieSphere Gold in more than 30 million homes.

MovieSphere Gold, which they are billing as the first contemporary all-movie digital network, delivers premium films from Lionsgate with exclusive themed marathons and fan-favorite hits.

Driven by films from Lionsgate’s 20,000+-title library, MovieSphere Gold can be seen on DirecTV, Dish TV, streaming service Frndly and Sling Freestream, as well as broadcast groups reaching over 80% of the U.S., including in English on Univision’s digital channels. CBS Media Ventures is handling national advertising sales.

Driven by films from Lionsgate’s 20,000+-title library, MovieSphere Gold can be seen on DirecTV, Dish TV, streaming service Frndly and Sling Freestream, as well as broadcast groups reaching over 80% of the U.S., including in English on Univision’s digital channels. CBS Media Ventures is handling national advertising sales.

With MovieSphere Gold, viewers will have access to Lionsgate’s expansive film library. The upcoming December schedule features a robust lineup of premium movies, including “Dirty Dancing,” “Rambo,” “Kick Ass” and “The Shack,” as well as features from the blockbuster “The Hunger Games” and “The Expendables” franchises.

“MovieSphere Gold offers us the rare opportunity to enter into an area of television – digital broadcasting – that is growing year over year with eight diginets now among the top-50 entertainment networks,” said Debmar-Mercury co-presidents Ira Bernstein and Mort Marcus in a statement. “And because of the massive size and quality of the Lionsgate film library, this now gives us the unique ability to pivot to the titles that perform best with viewers.”

“MovieSphere Gold represents the next evolution in multicast entertainment,” added Jim Packer, president of worldwide television distribution for Lionsgate. “This new digital network gives audiences access to acclaimed titles that were previously unavailable in this space, offering a richer, more diverse selection of films than ever before.”

For information on where to find MovieSphere Gold, schedules and launch dates, go to https://moviespheregold.com/.

Lionsgate and DirecTV have announced plans to launch the Lionsgate Collection, a free ad-supported streaming channel that will offer programming from the studio’s massive film and television library.

The channel will be available to all DirecTV customers across its full suite of satellite and streaming offerings, including the company’s MyFree DirecTV free ad-supported television (FAST) platform.

The service will be launching in the coming weeks, the two companies reported.

“Lionsgate is a powerhouse of bold storytelling and unforgettable entertainment, and this is a unique opportunity to work together on an exclusive curated channel that highlights the best titles in their vast collection,” said Amy Leifer, chief advertising sales officer at DirecTV. “Together we have an extraordinary opportunity to connect brands with premium storytelling and passionate viewers in powerful new ways.”

“We’re pleased to join with DirecTV in a first-of-its-kind partnership to launch Lionsgate Collection, a proprietary channel drawing upon our vast film & television library to deliver premium content across DirecTV’s entire suite of platforms,” said Jim Packer, president of Lionsgate’s Worldwide Television Distribution Group. “By combining world-class content with DirecTV’s advertising expertise and market clout, this is an important step forward in executing our strategy of unlocking the full value of our library with bespoke offerings that touch every part of the media ecosystem.”

More specifically, the custom channel will be programmed by Lionsgate for DirecTV viewers, driven by the 20,000-plus title Lionsgate film and television library, one of the largest in the world, including titles such as “Weeds” and “Nurse Jackie”. The channel will also utilize films like “Now You See Me”, “The Expendables” and many others to optimize for DirecTV viewers and brands who want a premium advertising environment.

This collaboration with Lionsgate expands its ongoing relationship with DirecTV that started with launching a number of FAST channels like 50 Cent Action and MovieSphere.

DirecTV’s FAST channel platform MyFree DirecTV has more than 125 FAST channels.

MENLO PARK, Calif.—Free-ad supported streaming TV platform Fawesome has expanded its lineup with seven new channels offering news, sports, weather, culinary and entertainment programming.

With the new channels, the platform has added 80 FAST channels over the last 12 months.

“With this expansion, we’re strategically positioning Fawesome at the intersection of premium content and accessibility,” said Vikrant Mathur, co-founder of Fawesome owner Future Today. “Our growing FAST channel portfolio directly addresses evolving viewer preferences while creating valuable new opportunities for advertisers seeking engaged audiences across diverse demographics.”

Fawesome described the new FAST channels as follows:

• Blue Ant Media —– Providing engaging lifestyle and documentary programming
• Moviesphere and Ebony by Lionsgate — Bringing award-winning films and diverse entertainment content
• Bold Baking Network — The world's first dedicated 24/7 baking channel featuring renowned baker and YouTube creator Gemma Stafford, with thousands of shows and over 1,000 hours of content
• Sport TV Plus — Delivering high-stakes sporting events and commentary
• Tastemade — Offering mouthwatering culinary content from celebrated chefs
• GoPro TV — Showcasing thrilling adventure and action sports footage
• Voice of America — Delivering trusted news coverage from around the globe
• Gusto TV — One stop shop for delectable dishes, helpful cooking tips and inspiring food content

SANTA MONICA, Calif. & NEW YORK—Lionsgate and the applied AI research company Runway have announced what they are billing as “a first-of-its-kind partnership” centered around Runway’s creation and training of a new AI model, customized to Lionsgate’s proprietary portfolio of film and television content. 

The new AI model is exclusively designed to help Lionsgate Studios, its filmmakers, directors and other creative talent augment their work. The model generates cinematic video that can be further iterated using Runway’s suite of controllable tools. The partnership is the first collaboration between Runway and a Hollywood studio.

“Runway is a visionary, best-in-class partner who will help us utilize AI to develop cutting-edge, capital-efficient content creation opportunities,” said Lionsgate vice chair Michael Burns. “Several of our filmmakers are already excited about its potential applications to their pre-production and post-production process. We view AI as a great tool for augmenting, enhancing and supplementing our current operations.”

“We’re committed to giving artists, creators and studios the best and most powerful tools to augment their workflows and enable new ways of bringing their stories to life. The history of art is the history of technology and these new models are part of our continuous efforts to build transformative mediums for artistic and creative expression. The best stories are yet to be told,” said Runway co-founder and CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela. “Lionsgate has an incredible creative team and a clear vision for how AI can help their work – we’re excited to help bring their ideas to life.”

NEW YORK—Amagi has announced that Lionsgate has chosen Amagi to be its partner for FAST playout and deliveries globally. 

Lionsgate made the decision after rigorous testing of multiple vendors. As a result of the deal, Lionsgate will use Amagi's cutting-edge cloud technology to scale Lionsgate's content delivery capabilities globally and enable the rapid launch of new channels, the companies reported. 

"Our partnership with Amagi has enabled us to further lean into FAST, quickly scale up our channel lineup, and optimize monetization of content from across our library — all while delivering viewing experiences that look and feel like TV," said Chase Brisbin, executive vice president of international SVOD sales and head of global channels at Lionsgate. "We're now managing a large FAST portfolio, including recently launching two new channels – Nash Bridges and The Conners – with more to come in both the U.S. and internationally. Amagi's cloud solutions and support team are integral to our ability to efficiently manage this volume on a global scale."

Known for its extensive library of popular titles such as "John Wick," "The Hunger Games," "Mad Men," "Weeds," and "Nashville," Lionsgate is using Amagi's technology to create and manage a mix of multi-program and single IP channels.

More specifically, Lionsgate is using the Amagi CLOUDPORT cloud-based automation and playout platform, the Amagi PLANNER cloud-based platform for content planning and TV channel program scheduling, Amagi THUNDERSTORM, the SSAI & Analytics Platform, and the Amagi ADS PLUS real-time CTV advertising marketplace outside the U.S. 

This suite of solutions enables Lionsgate to manage, deliver, and monetize linear and VOD content for two dozen channels across a broad footprint and efficiently handle scores of deliveries, making it one of the largest players in the FAST ecosystem, the companies said. 

"Amagi's infrastructure and dedicated team of professionals are uniquely positioned to support Lionsgate's rapid expansion," said Srinivasan KA, co-founder & chief revenue officer at Amagi. "Together, we are executing a playbook for building an optimized and efficient media business in the 21st century. This collaboration sets a new benchmark in the industry for content studios, allowing them to creatively maximize their existing content library, expand their reach, add new viewers, attract advertisers, and increase revenues."

Amagi provides a complete suite of channel creation, distribution, and monetization solutions. Amagi's global clients include ABS-CBN, AccuWeather, A+E Networks UK, beIN Sports, Cineverse, Cox Media Group, Crackle Plus, Fremantle, Gannett, Gusto TV, NBCUniversal, PAC-12, Tastemade, and The Roku Channel, among others.

LOS ANGELES—DirecTV and Lionsgate have inked a new, wide-ranging licensing agreement that will immediately make five Lionsgate channels available to all DirecTV and DirecTV Stream customers who receive their content via streaming. Satellite customers will also be able to access them using the DirecTV App.

The first of Lionsgate’s more than two dozen popular channels to join DirecTV streaming homes are MovieSphere (premium movies), HerSphere (female-driven stories), Ebony TV (Black film and culture in partnership with Ebony Media Group), and the single-series comedy channels Are We There Yet? and Anger Management.  

DirecTV will identify other popular networks from Lionsgate’s FAST portfolio to add to its streaming lineup in subsequent months.

“We want to enable our customers to select from a wider variety of genres and to explore their most avid interests in greater depth,” said Rebecca Nelson, senior vice president of content and programming at DirecTV. “Lionsgate is a leading content supplier who offers many strong options to expand our future lineup and enhance customer value.” 

“We’re pleased to partner with DirecTV to bring their customers our robust portfolio of FAST channels, giving them access to compelling content ranging from blockbuster films to groundbreaking series that celebrate global audiences,” added Jim Packer, president of worldwide television distribution at Lionsgate. 

Lionsgate operates a growing portfolio of more than two dozen channels worldwide, anchored by MovieSphere, the only global premium movie channel offered by a major studio and the first FAST channel to be ranked by Nielsen. The studio’s lineup includes sci-fi and fantasy network OuterSphere and single-series channels featuring “Nash Bridges,” “Ghost Hunters,” “Nashville,” and “Celebrity Name Game” episodes, among its other channels.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. & SAN JOSE, Calif.—Lionsgate and The Roku Channel have closed a multiyear theatrical output deal for theatrically released Lionsgate films.

The deal begins with the studio's 2022 theatrical releases and will give The Roku Channel receive two separate windows for each film, the first of which provides exclusive rights to Lionsgate's film slate immediately following its first window on STARZ.

Agreement includes "John Wick: Chapter Four," "Expendables 4," "Borderlands," "White Bird" and others. 

"This agreement affirms the great demand for first-run studio movies across a broad array of platforms," said Lionsgate president of Worldwide Television Distribution Jim Packer.  "This partnership with The Roku Channel shows our ability to capitalize on opportunities in today's complex television landscape with a multifaceted, layered approach that meets everyone's needs."

"We are pleased to expand our relationship with our longstanding partner Lionsgate to provide our audience with exclusive first-time, free access to Lionsgate's theatrical slate," said Rob Holmes, vice president of programming, Roku. "This innovative approach creates value for both parties, and most importantly provides the millions of streamers on The Roku Channel with the opportunity to enjoy these compelling titles via this unique window."

Launched in 2017, The Roku Channel is the home of free and premium entertainment on the Roku platform. In Q4 2021, The Roku Channel reached U.S. households with an estimated 80 million people with its diverse lineup of more than 80,000 free movies and programs and over 275 free live linear television channels in the U.S. 

It licenses and distributes content from more than 250 partners. In addition to Roku devices, the service is available on Web, iOS and Android devices, Amazon Fire TV and select Samsung TVs and can be accessed internationally in the U.S., Canada and the U.K.

NEW YORK—Lionsgate has announced that it is investing more than $100 million to build a full service, modern entertainment complex that will include three 20,000-square-feet and two 10,000-square-feet stages and a fully operational back lot in Yonkers, just north of New York. The company says the new facility will create “the opportunity to create a location-based entertainment property similar to what Lionsgate has already established in China, the Middle East and elsewhere around the world.”

Construction will start this November and the facility will be up and running in late autumn 2020.

A key investment partner and project developer is National Resources, which has operated in the New York area for 30 years and has tallied over $1.5 billion of redevelopment. National Resources will be responsible for all phases of design and construction of the studio complex.

The studio complex will be located less than 30 minutes from Manhattan on the Hudson River in downtown Yonkers. It is situated along the newly created Saw Mill River Plaza and next to the new Yonkers train station.

"We're pleased to partner with the Great Point and National Resources teams on a modern film and television production complex that will provide a great home for many of our content creation initiatives," said Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer. "It's rare to find a studio facility in such a prime New York metropolitan area location, and we look forward to being at the center of film and television production growth in the region."

"Given the dramatic rise in television production and the shortage of studio facilities in the New York area, a new, best-in-class production facility is an ideal investment for Great Point Capital. We are very proud that Lionsgate shares our vision and has come on board with our project," said Robert Halmi, head of the investment fund.