COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL SUBSCRIPTION VIDEO-ON-DEMAND SERVICE ANNOUNCES FIRST ORIGINAL SERIES BASED ON ASHLEY ECKSTEIN'S POPULAR "HER UNIVERSE FASHION SHOW"

SANTA MONICA, Calif. and SAN DIEGO, July 9, 2015 /CNW/ -- The Comic-Con International subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) service, the new platform from Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) and Comic-Con International launching early next year, will feature an original, unscripted series with Her Universe, the wildly popular fangirl fashion company, it was announced tonight to a packed crowd during the "Her Universe Fashion Show" at this year's Comic-Con International. The reality series, the first original content announced for the new SVOD service, will follow the contestants as they design their geek couture concepts from scratch and make plans to model them at next year's "Her Universe Fashion Show."

Ashley Eckstein (Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, Founder of Her Universe), Ashley Tisdale (Clipped, Young and Hungry) and Jennifer Tisdale (Inner Circle) will executive produce the series, which will be produced by Her Universe, Blondie Girl Productions and Lionsgate.

"The Comic-Con SVOD service is about creating and delivering content specifically for and about this amazing and passionate fan base," said Seth Laderman, Executive Vice President & General Manager of the new channel. "With Ashley Eckstein and Ashley and Jennifer Tisdale, we have an incredibly dynamic, creative, and talented team with a broad range of experience in franchises that our Comic-Con audience loves. We believe that they will deliver a program that speaks directly to our core fans."

"We are beyond excited to be partnering with Lionsgate and Comic-Con for this new platform," said Ashley Eckstein. "Five years ago, when we launched Her Universe, fangirls were an afterthought and "Geek Fashion" was nothing more than a men's boxy t-shirt. Together, with my partner, The Araca Group, we set out to build an empowering community and merchandise line for fangirls to step into the spotlight and feel celebrated and stylish! Five years later Geek Fashion is a trending topic and we cannot wait to show the world that it's here to stay."

"One of the things we love about Ashley's "Her Universe" reality show is that it captures the incredible diversity of our fan culture," said Comic-Con's Director of Marketing & Public Relations David Glanzer. "Not a competition show in the traditional sense, this series will immerse viewers in the preparations, excitement and suspense leading into next year's geek fashion competition. It's a perfect kick-off to a programming slate designed to bring the magic of Comic-Con to online audiences 365 days a year."

The unscripted series will follow the designers as they are chosen for the fashion show, the joy and stress of creating their geek couture, and the pressure of the fashion show itself as they wait to learn the winning designs selected by judges and the audience. In addition to delivering the excitement of the competition itself, the show will also give audiences an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how designers hone and practice their craft. Further announcements are expected soon for a slate that will be comprised of original content, films and television series from Lionsgate and other studios aligned to Comic-Con fans' diverse interests and archived footage from the Comic-Con International Convention's 45-year history.

Last year, 17 of the top 20 North American box office blockbusters had a presence at the Comic-Con International Convention along with ground-breaking television series such as The Walking Dead and American Horror Story. Comic-Con International has grown from 300 attendees in the basement of San Diego's U.S. Grant Hotel in 1970 to well over 130,000 fans from around the world in 2014, marking its evolution into a staple of popular culture and the longest-running comics and popular arts convention in America. Badges for this year's Comic-Con sold out in 60 minutes.

Fans may visit Comic-Con.com to become the first to learn details about the new service.

ABOUT LIONSGATE

Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, new channel platforms, video games and international distribution and sales. Lionsgate currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the hit series Orange is the New Black, the critically-acclaimed drama Manhattan and the breakout series The Royals.

Its feature film business has been fueled by such recent successes as the blockbuster first three installments of The Hunger Games franchise, the first two installments of the Divergent franchise, The Age of Adaline, CBS/Lionsgate's The DUFF, John Wick, Now You See Me, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and A Most Wanted Man, Lionsgate/Codeblack Films' Addicted and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.

Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com

ABOUT COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL

Comic-Con International (CCI) is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to creating awareness of, and appreciation for, comics and related popular artforms, primarily through the presentation of conventions and events that celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of comics to art and culture. In addition to its San Diego convention each summer (the world's largest comics convention of its kind), CCI organizes WonderCon each spring. On the web: Comic-Con.org, Facebook.com/comiccon, Twitter.com/comic_con.

ABOUT HER UNIVERSE 

Her Universe was launched in 2010 by actress and entrepreneur Ashley Eckstein and The Araca Group, a leading theatrical production and brand management company. Ashley and Araca created Her Universe to address the expanding market of female sci-fi and fantasy fans. Beginning with a license for Star Wars, the company has since released fashion collections for Marvel, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Studio Ghibli, Syfy, The Walking Dead, Nerdist Industries and Transformers. You can learn more about Her Universe and purchase the current lines of fangirl apparel and accessories by going to www.heruniverse.com.

ABOUT BLONDIE GIRL PRODUCTIONS

Blondie Girl Productions is a Los Angeles based production company that develops and produces television and motion pictures with a focus on women's entertainment and is run by sisters Ashley Tisdale and Jennifer Tisdale. Blondie Girl most recently was one of the producers behind ABC FAMILY's breakout comedy hit "Young & Hungry" which returns to TV August 12th - but can also now be seen on Netflix & HULU. Ashley Tisdale (President and Founder of Blondie Girl) returned to television in the TBS comedy series "Clipped" which premiered June 16^th. Ashley is no stranger to Comic-con as she voices the character of Candace Flynn in the Emmy Award winning and BAFTA-nominated animated series, "Phineas and Ferb" on Disney XD and Disney Channel. Blondie Girl Productions focus is to place an emphasis on female characters that defy expectations as well as creating stories that surprise and entertain its fans. Follow Blondie Girl on Twitter @blondiegirlprod and on a Facebook at facebook.com/blondiegirlproductions. You can follow Ashley Tisdale on Twitter @ashleytisdale and Jennifer Tisdale @jenkellytisdale

For further information, please contact:

Joanna Massey
Lionsgate
310-255-3602
[email protected]

David Glanzer
Comic-Con International
619-414-1020
[email protected]

Dan Madsen
Her Universe
646-922-0663
[email protected]

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SOURCE Lionsgate