Image Entertainment Acquires the Much Anticipated Thriller The Numbers Station Starring John Cusack and Malin Akerman from Content Media Corp

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Image Entertainment, Inc., a subsidiary of RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE), heads into the 2012 American Film Market with the pick-up of all U.S. rights to the much anticipated action thriller, The Numbers Station. The film stars John Cusack (The Raven, 2012, The Paperboy) and Malin Akerman (Watchman, The Proposal) and was directed by Kasper Barfoed (The Candidate). The Numbers Station was acquired from Content Media Corporation. The film was financed by Matador Pictures and Picadilly Pictures and by Blue Lake, the fund managed by Echo Lake Entertainment and Blue Ice Capital Group. The Numbers Station was produced by Sean Furst and Bryan Furst of Furst Films and Nigel Thomas of Matador. The announcement was made by Bill Bromiley, Image Entertainment’s Chief Acquisition Officer.

Image Entertainment is planning a first quarter 2013 theatrical release for The Numbers Station and the film will premiere at this year’s AFM.

“We’ve been following this project since the script stage,” commented Bromiley. “We really enjoyed working with Doug Mankoff and his team at Echo Lake Entertainment as well as Jamie Carmichael and his Content team. We have been hoping to pick up another film from them and The Numbers Station is just that film.”

Content’s Carmichael said, “We’re really excited about Bill’s ambitious plans for The Numbers Station. It’s great to have the muscle of Image and RLJ Entertainment behind the film.”

Written by F. Scott Frazier, The Numbers Station stars Cusack as Emerson, a disgraced former black ops agent who is tasked with a dead-end job protecting Katherine (Akerman), the code operator for a small CIA broadcast station in a barren region. Emerson’s mission is simple: protect Katherine. Keep her safe and keep her secure. When a car bomb outside the station signals an ambush, the pair is forced to take refuge in the station itself, using Emerson’s deadly combat skills as their only weapon. Under attack from a group of unknown, but lethal aggressors, Emerson and Katherine find themselves in a life-or-death struggle against a resolute enemy. With the station compromised, an unclear target and no escape, the truth becomes their priority if they want to make it out alive. The film co-stars Liam Cunnigham (Safe House, Clash of the Titans) and Lucy Griffiths (“True Blood”).

The deal was negotiated by Bill Bromiley and Michael Bayer on behalf of Image Entertainment and by Jamie Carmichael, President of Content, Film Division and Rick Kwak, EVP Head of Worldwide Business and Legal Affairs, for the film.

About Content Film, a division of Content Media Corporation plc

Content Film is the worldwide film and library sales arm of Content Media Corporation plc. Content specializes in high quality and commercial feature films, and is able to assist film producers in securing finance. Content handles worldwide sales, marketing, and publicity on all titles. The Feature Film Library arm also manages international sales on over 230 titles.

Content titles include THE NUMBERS STATION starring John Cusack and Malin Akerman; THE MACHINE starring Caity Lotz and Toby Stephens, LFF winner MEA MAXIMA CULPA: SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD from Oscar® winning director Alex Gibney; NOTHING TO FEAR produced by Slash starring Clancy Brown, Anne Heche, Ethan Peck, James Tupper, Jennifer Stone and Rebekah Brandes; the post-apocalyptic action thriller BOUNTY KILLER; NIM’S ISLAND 2: THE GREAT ANIMAL RESCUE directed by Brendan Maher, the family adventure SPACE WARRIORS directed by Sean McNamara and starring Thomas Horn, Mira Sorvino, Dermot Mulroney and Josh Lucas; the ultra-violent medieval actioner IRONCLAD: BATTLE FOR BLOOD, Mike Figgis’ erotic psychological thriller SUSPENSION OF DISBELIEF starring Sebastian Koch and Lotte Verbeek; skateboard documentary WAITING FOR LIGHTNING; Sundance’s terrifying ghost story THE PACT starring Caity Lotz and Casper van Dien, action thriller and the cult genre sequel OUTPOST: BLACK SUN.

Content attends all major markets and festivals including Cannes, Venice, Toronto, AFM, London, Rome, Sundance and Berlin. Content Film is being managed in an executive capacity by Jamie Carmichael, President - Film Division.

About RLJ Entertainment

RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: RLJE) is a premier independent licensee and distributor of entertainment content and programming in North America, the United Kingdom and Australia with over 5,200 exclusive titles. RLJE is a leader in numerous genres via its owned and distributed brands such as Acorn (British TV), Image (stand-up comedy, feature films), One Village (urban), Acacia (fitness), Slingshot (faith), Athena (educational), Criterion (art films) and Madacy (gift sets). These titles are distributed in multiple formats including DVD, Blu-ray, digital download, digital streaming, broadcast television (including satellite and cable), theatrical and non-theatrical. Via its majority-owned subsidiary Agatha Christie Limited, RLJE controls the intellectual property and publishing rights to some of the greatest works of mystery fiction, including stories of the iconic sleuths Miss Marple and Poirot. And through its direct-to-consumer business, RLJE has direct contacts and billings relationships with millions of consumers.

RLJE leverages its management experience to acquire, distribute, and monetize existing and original content for its many distribution channels, including its branded digital subscription channels, and engages a distinct audience with programming that appeals directly to their unique viewing interests. RLJE has proprietary e-commerce web sites for the Acorn and Acacia brands, and owns the recently launched Acorn TV digital subscription service.

Sue Procko for Image Entertainment
310-836-6200 or 323-719-8141 at AFM
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Source: Image Entertainment, Inc.