Lionsgate Sells Maple Pictures to Alliance Films

SANTA MONICA/VANCOUVER/MONTREAL: Lionsgate has sold its Canadian distributor, Maple Pictures, to Alliance Films for approximately $38.5 million.

The Alliance group acquires Maple and its film library, taking over responsibility for Maple’s exclusive five-year output deal for the Canadian distribution of Lionsgate’s motion picture and TV content, and Maple’s exclusive long-term agreement for the studio’s filmed entertainment library in Canada. The move sees Maple founders and co-presidents Laurie May and Brad Pelman joining the Alliance team. May and Pelman are former Lionsgate executives.

"We’re delighted to partner with Alliance, an iconic brand in the Canadian filmed entertainment business, in a long-term relationship that assures that our product will be handled by an experienced team with unparalleled knowledge of the Canadian marketplace," said Steve Beeks, the president and co-COO of Lionsgate. "This deal also allows us to sharpen our focus on our core assets that are critical to our growth trajectory, and it is an important step in the ongoing process of simplifying our business."

"This transaction combines two extraordinary distributors in Canada and strengthens the distribution infrastructure we offer to our content partners," added Charles Layton, the president of Alliance. "We’re thrilled to add Lionsgate’s new films and very large, renowned library to Alliance. We look forward to working with the entire Lionsgate team in the years to come."

"We’re proud to have helped build Maple Pictures into an important brand in Canada during the past six years, and we’re looking forward to combining our forces with Alliance," commented May and Pelman.