SABAN FILMS ACQUIRES DOMESTIC RIGHTS TO
RENNY HARLIN’S ACTION COMEDY “SKIPTRACE”
STARRING JACKIE CHAN & JOHNNY KNOXVILLE
LOS ANGELES – February 11, 2016 – Saban Films has acquired the US distribution rights to action comedy Skiptrace, directed by Renny Harlin (The Legend of Hercules, Die Hard 2) and written by Jay Longino and Ben David Grabinski. The film stars Jackie Chan (Rush Hour franchise, The Karate Kid), Johnny Knoxville (Jackass series), and Bingbing Fan (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Iron Man 3) and will open theatrically in Q3 this year.
Skiptrace follows a Hong Kong detective Bennie Black (Chan), who has been tracking a dangerous crime boss, Victor Wong, for over a decade. When Bennie’s beautiful young goddaughter Bai (Fan Bingbing) gets into trouble with Wong’s crime syndicate, he comes to the rescue and must track down the only man who can help her – a fast-talking American gambler named Connor Watts (Knoxville) who is also on the run from the mob. The unlikely pair embarks on a hilarious adventure from the wind-swept dunes of the Gobi Desert to the fantastical karst mountains of Guilin.
Saban Films President Bill Bromiley said, “Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville are both international sensations, and Renny Harlin’s smart yet fun approach to this big budget action film brings a raucous force to the screen. We are proud to be adding Skiptrace to our slate.”
Skiptrace was produced by Talent International Films and Dasym Media along with Jackie Chan, Esmond Ren, Charlie Coker, Damien Saccani and David Gerson. The film was co-financed and co-presented by Shanghai New Culture Media Group, Talent International and Dasym Media (a subsidiary of Dasym Investment Strategies B.V., Exclusive Media’s parent company). BLOOM is handling international sales.
Bromiley and Ness Saban negotiated the deal on behalf of Saban Films and WME represented the filmmakers.
Upcoming titles, to be dated, in the Saban Films slate include: Tom Tykwer’s A Hologram for the King starring two-time Academy Award® winner Tom Hanks, where Saban will partner with Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions on the theatrical release; Alex and Ben Brewer’s The Trust starring Nicolas Cage and Elijah Wood; I Am Wrath with John Travolta; USS Indianapolis starring Nicolas Cage; Stand Off starring Laurence Fishburne and Thomas Jane; Backtrack starring Adrien Brody and Sam Neil; and Academy Award® Nominee Bob Nelson’s directorial debut, The Confirmation, starring Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt, and Jaeden Lieberher.
Since the company’s launch in 2014, Saban Films has released The Homesman, starring Academy Award® winners Tommy Lee Jones and Hilary Swank, which world premiered in Cannes; Tracers starring Taylor Lautner; Philip Martin’s The Forger starring John Travolta; American Heist starring Hayden Christensen, Academy Award® Winner Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune “Akon” Thiam; Some Kind of Beautiful starring Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek and Jessica Alba; Man Up starring Simon Pegg and Lake Bell; and MI-5 starring Kit Harington, Jennifer Ehle and Tuppence Middleton.
About Saban Films
Saban Films, an affiliate of Saban Capital Group (“SCG”), is a film acquisition and distribution company which acquires high-quality, feature films to distribute in North America. Focusing on commercial, talent driven films, the company looks at projects in all stages of production for release across multiple platforms, including a day and date theatrical/VOD release strategy. Based in Los Angeles, Saban Films was established by Haim Saban, SCG Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and is led by Bill Bromiley who serves as president, Shanan Becker, Chief Financial Officer and Ness Saban, Director of Business Development.
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