Lionsgate UK Invests in Drama Producer Potboiler Television

LONDON: Lionsgate UK has made an equity investment in Potboiler Television, which specializes in high-end TV drama.

Lionsgate will partner with the production outfit, which is led by Andrea Calderwood (The Last King of Scotland, HBO’s Generation Kill) and Gail Egan (The Constant Gardener), on expanding its television slate and has also signed a first-look deal for global distribution of Potboiler’s television product. The partnership with the new TV arm builds on the relationship between Lionsgate and Potboiler Productions, which have collaborated on such film projects as A Little Chaos, starring Kate Winslet and Matthias Schoenaerts; Trespass Against Us, which is being released in March; and the critically acclaimed A Most Wanted Man.

Zygi Kamasa, the CEO of Lionsgate’s European office, commented, “Lionsgate UK has a reputation for boldly supporting British product and talent, investing more in its home territory than any other distributor. This partnership with Andrea and Gail, two renowned film and television producers, and the Potboiler team deepens that commitment and extends both companies’ diversification into scripted television product created for a global audience.”

“Potboiler is an acclaimed film brand now bringing its focus to thought-provoking and entertaining television dramas with world-class talent,” added Lionsgate Television Group Chairman Kevin Beggs. “This deal is a perfect example of the building blocks Zygi Kamasa and his team are assembling as they develop a robust television business alongside their premier film brand. We look forward to collaborating with them in creating premium quality programming for audiences in the U.K., the U.S. and around the world.”

“We’re proud to grow our relationship with Zygi Kamasa and the Lionsgate UK team, with whom we’ve partnered on a number of successful films, as we grow the new television company and to leverage the great talent relationships we have in common,” said Calderwood and Egan. “Lionsgate and Potboiler have similar entrepreneurial cultures and a shared vision of the opportunities that lie ahead of us in reaching a global television audience.”