STARZ INKS "KIN" DEVELOPMENT DEAL WITH REESE WITHERSPOON'S HELLO SUNSHINE
Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter to Executive Produce
the Family Drama with Writer Davita Scarlett
Santa Monica, Calif. - February 21, 2019 - Starz, a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), today announced the series development of "Kin," a multi-generational family drama from writer Davita Scarlett ("Queen Sugar," "Constantine") and Hello Sunshine. Reese Witherspoon ("Big Little Lies," Gone Girl, Wild) and Lauren Neustadter ("Are You Sleeping") will serve as executive producers for Hello Sunshine alongside Scarlett who developed the project with Chester Jones III ("Hey Diddle Diddle").
"The opportunity to work in partnership with Davita Scarlett as well as Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine on this series is serendipitous," said Carmi Zlotnik, President of Programming for Starz. "Hello Sunshine puts women at the forefront of the stories they are telling, and that fits perfectly into Starz' overall programming strategy to offer compelling content that appeals to female audiences."
"Davita has written a script that is utterly original, complex and incredibly nuanced. She deftly explores issues around identity and the secrets family members keep to protect themselves and one another," says Witherspoon. "I'm so excited to team up with Starz to bring these strong, memorable female characters to life on screen."
"Kin" follows three generations of women who are thrust together when their dynamic and controversial matriarch moves back to town. The series is a compelling and complex exploration of racial identity, integrity and the notion that blood is thicker than water.
Founded by Reese Witherspoon, Hello Sunshine is a cross-platform brand and consumer-facing content company dedicated to telling female-driven stories. Hello Sunshine creates, curates and discovers powerful content by and for women across all platforms. Hello Sunshine is represented by CAA and Gretchen Rush.
Davita Scarlett is repped by ICM and attorney J.R. McGinnis at Felker, Toczek.
Starz retains all domestic multiplatform pay TV and SVOD rights to the series. Lionsgate retains all international and domestic distribution and home entertainment rights.
Director of Original Programming Samantha Offsay as well as Senior Vice Presidents of Original Programming Susan Lewis and Kathryn Tyus-Adair are the Starz executives overseeing "Kin."
About Starz
Starz (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B), is a leading global media and entertainment company that produces and distributes premium streaming content to worldwide audiences across subscription television platforms. Starz is home to the flagship domestic STARZ(R) brand, STARZ ENCORE, 17 premium pay TV channels and the associated on-demand and online services, including the highly-rated STARZ app. With the launch of the STARZPLAY international premium streaming platform and STARZ PLAY Arabia, Starz is expanding its global footprint in a growing number of territories. Sold through multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, telecommunications companies, and other online and digital platforms, Starz offers subscribers more than 10,000 distinct premium television episodes and feature films, including STARZ Original series, first-run movies and other popular programming.
About Hello Sunshine
Hello Sunshine is a media brand and content company dedicated to female authorship and storytelling across all platforms. It produces scripted and unscripted television, feature films, podcasts, audio storytelling, digital series, and in real-life experiences that are all driven by a singular mission: to change the narrative for women. Hello Sunshine is the home of Reese's Book Club, which celebrates distinctive women protagonists, both real and fictional, who anchor stories of agency and transformation. Hello Sunshine has also partnered with Audible to highlight the female-centered books from Reese's Book Club, as well as to produce upcoming original audio content. Hello Sunshine's scripted TV projects that have already been announced include season two of HBO's Emmy-Award winning Big Little Lies, limited series Little Fires Everywhere (Hulu), limited series Daisy Jones and the Six (Amazon), Are You Sleeping (Apple), and Untitled Morning Show Project (Apple). Hello Sunshine's first unscripted show Shine on with Reese (DIRECTV) launched in July, followed by the digital series Master the Mess (DIRECTV). Feature films projects that have been announced include A White Lie (Tristar), The League of Wives (Fox 2000), Where the Crawdads Sing (Fox 2000), Legally Blonde 3, and a documentary about Martina Navratilova. How It Is and My Best Breakup are Hello Sunshine's first two podcasts. Hello Sunshine recently completed a groundbreaking 10 city live tour Hello Sunshine x Together Live and has entered into a first-of-a-kind unique partnership with expert personality Eve Rodsky whose debut book Fair Play: The 5 New Rules to Revolutionize Your Marriage, Home and Sense of Purpose will be published in Fall 2019.
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