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Global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) and Twisted Pictures have moved up the release date of the highly anticipated suspense-thriller Spiral: From the Book of Saw, starring Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson, to May 14. The announcement was made today by David Spitz, President of Distribution, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group. The Saw franchise has taken in nearly $1 billion worldwide. Spiral: From the Book of Saw had previously been slated for a May 21 release. A criminal mastermind unleashes a twisted form of justice in Spiral, the terrifying new chapter from the book of Saw. Working in the shadow of his father, an esteemed police veteran (Samuel L. Jackson), brash Detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks (Chris Rock) and his rookie partner (Max Minghella) take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly entrapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game. Spiral stars Chris Rock, Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, and Samuel L. Jackson, and is produced by the original Saw team of Mark Burg and Oren Koules. The film is directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Josh Stolberg & Pete Goldfinger. A Lionsgate release, Twisted Pictures presents, a Burg/Koules production.

Deadline is reporting that Lionsgate CEO John Feltheimer announced during today's earning call that Keanu Reeves will be returning to film John Wick 4 and 5 back-to-back next year. The John Wick franchise has made big money for Lionsgate with the 3 movies making over $584.2M globally and the Starz John Wick TV series The Continental looking to premiere sometime following the fourth movie.

Deadline is reporting that Len Wiseman will be directing Ballerina, an action spinoff of the lucrative John Wick franchise for Lionsgate. Ballerina focuses on a young female assassin who seeks revenge against the people who killed her family. The script is being written by Shay Hatten, whose credits include the Zack Snyder-directed Army of the Dead for Netflix and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum. The film is being produced by Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski, with John Wick star Keanu Reeves an executive producer along with Kaley Smalley, head of development for Wiseman’s Sketch Films. John Wick star Keanu Reeves isn't expected to be in this film though if he does it will be a cameo. Unity Phelan is in the credits of Parabellum under the character Ballerina, but its not been said if she will play the character again. Wiseman's movie credits include the Underworld franchise series and Live Free or Die Hard from the Bruce Willis’ Die Hard series. His TV credits include from Hawaii 5-0 to Lucifer, Sleepy Hollow, The Gifted and Swamp Thing.

Are movie studios starting to shy away from the San Diego Comic-Con? The question comes to mind as Deadline is reporting that movie studios such as Sony, Universal, Warner Bros. DC film studio and Lionsgate will not be attending the convention. Studios currently set to be attending are Disney/Marvel, Paramount and New Line. No reason for Universal, Warner Bros DC film studio or Lionsgate to not be attending but Sony does have their hands full with Spider-Man: Far From Opening opening next week and Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood upcoming on July 26th. Their promo teams have events set up for the whole year with Zombieland 2: Double Tap (October 18th), Charlie’s Angels (November 15th), The Grudge (Janaury 3rd), the comic-book feature adaptation Bloodshot starring Vin Diesel (February 21st), Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island (February 28th) and, farther out, Marvel’s Morbius (July 31st, 2020).

Lionsgate has announced they have given the greenlit to another sequel, John Wick: Chapter 4, which is slated for release on May 21st, 2021. The 3rd chapter, John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, was released this previous Friday, the 17th, 2019 and became the number 1 movie at the box office, knocking out Avengers: Endgame. Keanu Reeves is expected to reprise his titular role but the studio didn't comment.

Starz President & CEO Chris Albrecht announced today at the Television Critics Association Winter 2018 Press Tour that Starz and Lionsgate are developing a television series adaptation of the highly successful Lionsgate film franchise John Wick. “The Continental” series will be set in the John Wick universe, focusing on the inner workings of the exclusive Continental Hotel which serves as a refuge for assassins. John Wick star Keanu Reeves will be involved with the project and will appear in the series. Acclaimed writer/producer Chris Collins (“Sons of Anarchy,” “The Wire,” and “The Man in the High Castle”) will write the series and serve as showrunner. The show will be executive produced by a world-class creative team led by Thunder Road Pictures’ Basil Iwanyk (the John Wick film franchise, The Town, Sicario), Chad Stahelski (John Wick co-director and John Wick: Chapter 2 director), John Wick franchise screenwriter Derek Kolstad, along with Collins, David Leitch (John Wick co-director, Deadpool 2) and Keanu Reeves. Stahelski will direct the premiere episode. Collins expands the universe in the series by focusing on the Continental Hotel and those who find refuge under its roof. Set in a hyper-real version of Los Angeles, the series maintains the urgency of the action along with the dry humor from the John Wick movies. Drawing upon the collaborative efforts of Lionsgate’s film, television and Starz platforms, “The Continental” continues the growth of a franchise that has already generated two hit films that have grossed nearly $300 million at the worldwide box office and a successful virtual reality mobile game. “This series is truly unlike anything else on TV,” said Albrecht. “’The Continental’ promises to include the thunderous fight sequences and intensely staged shootouts between professional assassins and their targets that fans have come to expect in the John Wick movie franchise as well as introducing some new, darkly compelling characters who inhabit this underground world.” Senior Vice President of Original Programming Karen Bailey is the Starz executive in charge of “The Continental.”