Lionsgate Likes it After Dark

By Jon Condit
September 27th, 2006

I never got a chance to rush out and see An American Haunting during its brief theatrical run, but apparently enough people did to warrant it being called a success, having made $16.5 million to date. Not too bad considering its modest beginnings. Lionsgate is releasing the film on DVD, and today it was discovered that that’s only a part of their just-inked distribution deal with its producer, After Dark Films.

ADF will put up the money to see the films made, and Lionsgate will do what it does best: shove said film down the throats of fans. That is to say, market it. A pretty good deal as long as ADF puts together some solid genre pics down the road; like I said, I never saw it, but apparently Hauntingdidn’t sit too well with both fans and critics.

Some films will be co-produced by Lionsgate as well, and ADF will also continue to acquire and release other films through its arrangement with Freestyle Releasing, who most recently put out The Illusionist. It’s all a bit confusing, but what it comes down to is that we’ll be seeing even more genre pics with the LG logo on them and they will have their fingers in even more pies. Not sure how appetizing that analogy is, but there you go.

- Johnny Butane