Lionsgate Signs Format Deals on Kicking & Screaming

SANTA MONICA/VANCOUVER: Lionsgate has secured a raft of format deals for the reality series Kicking & Screaming, which is launching in March on FOX in the U.S.

Format rights covering France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden have been licensed to Banijay. Lionsgate also finalized a deal with Sony Pictures Television Networks’ Viasat for the format and series rights in Hungary, where it will be broadcast on Viasat3.

Kicking & Screaming watches as ten expert survivalists are teamed up with pampered partners to face the toughest challenges of their lives.

Carlotta Rossi Spencer, the head of global format acquisitions at Banijay, commented, “Kicking & Screaming is the kind of truly entertaining, large scale adventure series which Banijay’s locally based teams produce so well. Our broadcast clients are reassured by our first-hand experience in creating successful big formats such as Fort Boyard and 71 Degrees North, and we look forward to bringing this exciting new reality concept to European audiences.”

“The format deals for Kicking & Screaming with world-class partners Banijay and Sony reflect the tremendous international demand for what we expect to become a global reality brand,” said Lionsgate’s president of international television and digital distribution, Peter Iacono. “We’re delighted to entrust this incredible property to the talented and experienced creative teams of the leading producers in each of these territories. We’re confident that the show is in great hands.”

“These deals reflect not only the excitement that Kicking & Screaming is creating as we head into NATPE but the growing momentum of our entire slate of nonfiction programming,” said Lionsgate’s senior VP of alternative programming sales, Ted Bookstaver. “We’re proud to offer our buyers a portfolio of non-scripted series distinguished by its depth, diversity and superior quality.”