Here’s a story in two parts. The first part is that, after a very long series of negotiations that goes back to 2008, a deal was finalized today in which Lionsgate will purchase Summit Entertainment for $412.5m in cash and stock. Part of the impetus for the sale is the ending Twilight film series, which concludes this fall with the release of Breaking Dawn Part 2. Or does that planned conclusion really have to be the end of Twilight?
While Summit investors wanted to get this deal done before Twilight ended and Summit’s overall value fell, it seems like some at Lionsgate don’t feel like Twilight has to be done. Today Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer said he hopes to continue Twilight in some form, either in film or television.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 opens on November 16, and should be a huge release for Summit, and now Lionsgate. But Lionsgate, which has already pushed the Saw series to more installments than can be counted on one hand, may try to further exploit Twilight.
Speaking to the LA Times, Feltheimer said, “I’m anticipating ‘Breaking Dawn Part 2? being $700 million-plus in worldwide box office.”
He was asked about “whether the franchise would continue in some form,” to which Feltheimer answered,
It’s hard for me to imagine a movie that does $700 million-plus doesn’t have ongoing value. It’s an amazing franchise that they have done a great job of maintaining with absolutely no deterioration. So the simple answer is ‘Boy I hope so.’
read more over at slashfilm.com
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