Lionsgate Partners with Banca Studio

SANTA MONICA: Lionsgate has entered into a three-year joint television venture with Banca Studio, the company recently formed by Roy Bank, producer of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? and former president of television for Merv Griffin Entertainment (MGE).

Lionsgate has also agreed to purchase the slate of production and development projects originated under Bank at Merv Griffin Entertainment, including the NBC game show It’s Worth What?, hosted by Cedric the Entertainer, Bloomberg Television’s The Mentor and the upcoming Million Dollar Mind Game premiering October 23 on ABC. Brian Veskosky will join Banca Studio as the executive VP.

“Roy embodies the kind of expertise and entrepreneurial spirit we prize so highly,” said Kevin Beggs, Lionsgate Television Group president. “He has had impressive success as an innovative producer and industry executive, and we look forward to an exciting collaboration.”

“My dream has always been to launch my own production company and continue to create programming that I can be proud of and people will enjoy,” Bank said. “Having the power of Lionsgate behind me and working day-to-day with executives like Kevin Beggs and Sandra Stern is an incredibly exciting and powerful way for me to achieve that dream.”