'Weeds' boosts Lionsgate

Lionsgate Boss Jon Feltheimer has offered a bullish outlook for your minimajor, providing the ongoing success of the cable series "Weeds." Feltheimer told traders Tuesday within the company's annual meeting in Toronto the skein tips from Lionsgate's "finish-to-finish solution." "Weeds" remains developed, produced for seven seasons, agreed to Showtime, taken into 125 foreign areas, created $100 million on DVD plus significant revenues from digital platforms and syndicated through its TV Guide Network arm."Few other independent has these capabilities," he added. "We're an very unique value proposition."The lower-key meeting, which made it under a quarter-hour and was attended by about 40 within the Soho Hotel, offered a vivid contrast with last year's event in Beverly Slopes - where Lionsgate effectively made it a spirited proxy fight with activist investor Carl Icahn. At Tuesday's event, held at its traditional time slot throughout the middle of the Toronto Film Festival, their slate for your 12-member board was selected without opposition.On friday, the little-major and Icahn showed up in an offer to Icahn to destroy even by selling his 33% stake within the organization at $7 a participate numerous deals gathering about $309 million. Under that surprise deal with Icahn, the two sides made the decision to dismiss all outstanding suit together - dealing with some close a tumultuous three-year period that saw Icahn blast Lionsgate management frequently for overspending and neglecting to boost the stock cost to anywhere near its 2007 lots of $12. Relations between Lionsgate as well as the billionaire soured this past year when he was unable to influence management to setup boy Brett Icahn concerning the board. Lionsgate shares were off 5 cents to $6.87 in mid-session purchasing and selling Tuesday concerning the New You'll be able to Stock Exchange.While using Icahn fight done, Wall Street remains focusing on Lionsgate's new "Hunger Games" franchise, based on Suzanne Collins' trilogy. The initial installment completed principal photography last weekend which is searching for a March 23 release. Budget's thought at nearly $100 million, which causes it to be most likely probably the most pricey pic for Lionsgate. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com