HBO Locks Up Lion's Gate

By R. Thomas Umstead
published

Home Box Office will exhibit Lions Gate Entertainment theatrical movies
through 2003 as part of a distribution extension deal announced Thursday.

The new one-year agreement provides HBO and sister service Cinemax with
continued access to Lion's Gate films, including Monster's Ball, the
movie which earned actress Halle Berry a best actress Academy Award; as well as
new titles O, Frailty and foreign language film Amores Perros.

'This deal provides our subscribers with high quality films that combine the
boldness, prestige and originality of the independent world with top creative
talent,' HBO film programming and video and enterprises Steve Scheffer said in a
statement.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.