“The Hunger Games” fans will be pleased to hear that Lionsgate has made two new announcements about the franchise today – “The Hunger Games: The Exhibition” is coming in 2015 and they are developing a mobile game. First up, here are the exhibition details:
As part of its initiative to extend its global brands and franchises into new lines of business, Lionsgate, the premier next generation global content leader, will launch a U.S. tour of “The Hunger Games: The Exhibition” in summer 2015, it was announced today by Lionsgate Chief Marketing Officer Tim Palen. The state-of-the-art exhibition, which will include interactive displays of authentic costumes, props and other elements of the world of The Hunger Games, will be designed in conjunction with Thinkwell Group, one of the world’s leading theme park and location-based entertainment companies.
The first two Hunger Games films have grossed more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire became the highest-grossing domestic release of 2013 and the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time. “The Hunger Games: The Exhibition” will launch several months ahead of the November 20, 2015 worldwide release of the fourth Hunger Games film, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, and will incorporate artifacts featured in the first three films from locations within the Capitol and the various Districts of Panem. The exhibition will be featured in major museums and institutions across the country and will be supported by a multimedia promotional effort and nationwide advance ticket sales.
“Now that we’ve built a critical mass of intellectual property, we’re committed to extending our brands into exciting new businesses that create opportunities for our fans to engage with our properties at the same time they deliver significant incremental financial benefits to Lionsgate,” said Palen. “We’re thrilled to launch this initiative with the U.S. tour of The Hunger Games exhibition, which celebrates the world of The Hunger Games and offers Hunger Games fans an extensive behind-the-scenes look at the movie-making process.” He noted that the exhibits will also be paired with local school curricula, and nearly all aspects of the tour will be interactive.
Palen also announced that, as part of the studio’s commitment to expand its branded retail and merchandising operations, it has brought veteran Thinkwell executive Jenefer Brown in-house, naming her to the newly created post of Senior Vice President, Branded Attractions. Brown will not only oversee the launch of the U.S. tour of The Hunger Games exhibition but will explore additional theme park attraction and other location-based entertainment opportunities around the world for The Hunger Games franchise and the Company’s entire portfolio of branded properties.
The studio also announced that it is teaming up with Kabam for a mobile game:
Kabam, a world leader in free-to-play games for traditional players, today announced that it has partnered with Lionsgate, the premier next generation global content leader, to create a mobile game based on the global blockbuster movie franchise The Hunger Games.
Kabam will produce an exclusive role playing, card collection mobile game that will deliver the action of the blockbuster film into the hands of avid fans around the world. In the game, players assume the identity of District members sent on a mission in order to build their alliance, liberate their District, and rebuild Panem.
“Lionsgate has an unparalleled track record of developing and producing blockbuster movie franchises like The Hunger Games,” said Kabam Chief Operating Officer Kent Wakeford. “Partnering with Lionsgate, Kabam will build a mobile game that’s as much fun to play as the movie is to watch.”
The blockbuster The Hunger Games franchise, starring Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence, is a global phenomenon whose first two installments have grossed more than $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office, and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is the 10th highest-grossing domestic release of all time. The next two installments of the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, will be released on November 21, 2014, and November 20, 2015, respectively.
“We are so pleased to be working with Kabam to give the fans an experience like they have never had before,” said Danielle DePalma, Lionsgate’s EVP of Digital Media. “Being able to role-play with the mentors straight from the world of The Hunger Games will let fans feel as if they are in the middle of the action.”
The game will be developed in Kabam’s China studio, the same place where the hit movie based game The Hobbit: Kingdoms of Middle-earth was created and went on to generate more than $100 million in revenue during its first year.
Deep Hollywood relationships and access to blockbuster intellectual property (IP) is a key differentiator for Kabam in the free-to-play games sector. Kabam is a leader in taking an established film and extending that brand into mobile and web games that create new levels of engagement for global audiences long after a movie’s theatrical run. Kabam has experienced massive growth since its founding as a games company a little more than four years ago. The company now has more than 800 employees in offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. Kabam generated more than $360 million in revenue in 2013, a 100 percent growth over 2012, and predicts $550 million in revenue in 2014.
