Lionsgate and its Grindstone Entertainment Group have extended their successful long-term partnership with Emmett/Furla Films for another 10 movies, several of which will be released through the newly-launched Lionsgate Premiere label, the two companies announced today.
Grindstone’s collaboration with Emmett/Furla has generated a string of star-driven event films, including the Bruce Willis/Josh Duhamel/Rosario Dawson action adventure Fire With Fire, the crime thriller Empire State, starring global superstar Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and The Hunger Games franchise’s Liam Hemsworth, and the serial killer thriller Frozen Ground, featuring Nicolas Cage and John Cusack.
The partnership’s upcoming slate includes the heist film Bus 657, starring Robert DeNiro and Kate Bosworth, the CIA action thriller The Extraction, teaming Bruce Willis, Kellan Lutz and Gina Carano, and the thriller Daughter of God, featuring an all-star cast led by John Wick‘s Keanu Reeves and Mira Sorvino. Several films from the Grindstone collaboration with Emmett/Furla will be released through Lionsgate’s new Premiere specialty distribution label, kicking off with The Extraction.
“Grindstone is an important contributor to the Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, and they have established one of the industry’s most enviable track records of consistency and profitability as well as a dynamic pipeline of star-driven event films,” said Lionsgate Co-Chief Operating Officer and Motion Picture Group President Steve Beeks . “We’re delighted to extend their productive collaboration with Emmett/Furla for another 10 films that we expect to be distinguished by the high-octane excitement, A-list talent and commercial success that have become their trademarks.”
“Randall Emmett and George Furla are among the most consistently exciting film producers in the world today, and we’re thrilled to extend and expand our partnership for another 10 films,” said Grindstone President Barry Brooker and Grindstone Partner Stan Wertlieb. “Emmett/Furla is recognized by audiences around the world as a truly global brand synonymous with big stars, box office excitement and outsized commercial results. Our pipeline of films from world-class producers like Randall and George, combined with our access to Lionsgate’s tremendous marketing and distribution infrastructure, is an unbeatable combination.”
“We’ve been part of the Lionsgate family since the earliest days of the studio, and our partnership has grown with their success,” said Emmett and Furla. “Lionsgate has emerged as a powerful creative force in the global marketplace, and we’re thrilled to continue our collaboration with Steve Beeks , Barry Brooker and the rest of the Lionsgate team as well as to help launch Lionsgate Premiere, the Company’s newest label.”
Emmett/Furla has partnered with Lionsgate on the theatrical films Rambo, Wonderland, Narc and last year’s Escape Plan, starring Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger in an action thriller that became a box office blockbuster in China and Russia on its way to grossing nearly $140 million around the world.
