Lionsgate right now is built on the success of The Hunger Games, but the studio is hoping to change that soon when Divergent hits theaters next month. The studio is also hoping that Mortdecai, a film starring Johnny Depp, could develop into another franchise.
The most pressing matter for Lionsgate is ensuring that Divergent is a hit, one that could catapult Shailene Woodley into international fame, just like Hunger Games’ Jennifer Lawrence. Divergent is also based on a young adult, dystopian novel with international sales far behind U.S. sales. Co-chair Rob Friedman told analysts on Friday that the studio plans on working with publishers to bring Veronica Roth’s novels to more readers.
“Our distributors are very excited about the international possibilities,” Friedman said, reports The Hollywood Reporter. He said that there are 13 million copies of Divergent in circulation and assured analysts, “We've had a tremendous trajectory in book sales, especially pre-Christmas, going through to the opening.”
Meanwhile, TheWrap reports that Lionsgate Chairman Jon Feltheimer expressed his confidence in Mortdecai. The movie stars Depp as the title character, along with Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrow. It’s a caper film and Feltheimer thinks it will be Lionsgate’s Pink Panther.
The art dealer character is a “franchisable character,” Feltheimer said. “It’s a character that Johnny Depp absolutely loved and would love to do more of.”
Divergent hits theaters on March 21 and should be followed by two sequels if the first film is a hit. Lionsgate is also the studio behind Expendables and Now You See Me, which is also getting a sequel.
image: Lionsgate/EPK