RLJE FILMS Acquires “Prisoners of the Ghostland” Ahead of Sundance World Premiere

RLJE FILMS ACQUIRES 

PATRIOT PICTURES’ and XYZ Films’

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND

AHEAD OF ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT SUNDANCE

 Film Stars Nicolas Cage and Sofia Boutella, from Acclaimed Director Sion Sono

RLJE Films, a business unit of AMC Networks, has acquired the US rights to the action/adventure film PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND ahead of its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.  PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND presented by Patriot Pictures was fully financed by Michael Mendelsohn’s Union Patriot Capital Management. XYZ Films produced, is handling world sales, and will be introducing the film to international buyers on the heels of Sundance. 

Directed by the acclaimed Japanese director, Sion Sono (Why Don’t You Play in Hell), the film was written by Aaron Hendry and Rexa Sixo Safai (Western Wonderland).  The film stars Nicolas Cage (Mandy), Sofia Boutella (The Mummy), Nick Cassavetes (Face/Off), Bill Moseley (Texas Chainsaw Franchise), Tak Sakaguchi (Tokyo Tribe) and Yuzuka Nakaya (The Forest of Love). Joseph Trapanese (Tron: Legacy, The Raid: Redemption, The Greatest Showman) composed the original score. 

“We’re excited to once again work with Nicolas Cage on a highly-anticipated film directed by the celebrated Japanese filmmaker Sion Sono,” said Mark Ward, Chief Acquisitions Officer of RLJE Films. “Following the success of Mandy and Color Out of Space, PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND is already receiving great buzz and we cannot wait for audiences to see it at Sundance.”

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND is set in the treacherous frontier city of Samurai Town where a ruthless bank robber (Cage) is sprung from jail by wealthy warlord The Governor (Moseley), whose adopted granddaughter Bernice (Boutella) has gone missing. The Governor offers the prisoner his freedom in exchange for retrieving the runaway. Strapped into a leather suit that will self-destruct within three days, the bandit sets off on a journey to find the young woman—and his own path to redemption.

PRISONERS OF THE GHOSTLAND was produced by Michael Mendelsohn (Cut Throat City, Hangman, Lord of War) for Patriot Pictures, Laura Rister (The Tale, Lovelace, Margin Call) for Untitled Entertainment, Ko Mori (Lords of Chaos) for Eleven Arts, Reza Sixo Safai (A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night) for Boos Boos Bang Bang and Nate Bolotin (Mandy) for XYZ Films.  It was executive produced by Natalie Perrotta (Running With The Devil), Nick Spicer (Brawl in Cell Block 99), Aram Tertzakian (Vivarium), and Yuji Sadai (A Man With Style). XYZ Films worked on previous hits Mandy and Color Out of Space starring Nicolas Cage and also released by RLJE. Ward and Jess DeLeo from RLJE Films negotiated the deal with Bolotin from XYZ Films on behalf of the filmmakers.

ABOUT RLJE FILMS

RLJE Films’ recent features include Color Out of Space, based on the classic H.P. Lovecraft story, starring Nicolas Cage and Joely Richardson and written and directed by Richard Stanley; the critically acclaimed horror film The Dark And The Wicked from director Bryan Bertino; Steve Byrne’s The Opening Act from producers Vince Vaughn and Peter Billingsley; David Ayer’s The Tax Collector and Adam Egypt Mortimer’s Archenemy. us.rljentertainment.com.

ABOUT AMC NETWORKS

Known for its groundbreaking and celebrated original content, AMC Networks is the company behind the award-winning brands AMC, BBC AMERICA, IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, and IFC Films. Its diverse line-up of popular and critically acclaimed series and independent films include Killing Eve, Better Call Saul and The Walking Dead, which has been the #1 show on ad-supported cable television for ten consecutive years, as well as Portlandia, Brockmire, Love After Lockup, and the Oscar-winning Boyhood. Its original series Mad Men and Breaking Bad are widely recognized as being among the most influential and acclaimed shows in the history of TV. The company also operates AMC+, its premium subscription bundle; the subscription streaming services Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and ALLBLK (formerly branded “UMC”); AMC Studios, its production business; AMC Networks International, its international programming business; and Levity Entertainment Group, its production services and comedy venues business. For more information, visit http://www.amcnetworks.com.

ABOUT PATRIOT PICTURES AND AFFLIATED ENTITIES: 

Patriot Pictures, LLC. packages film and finances. Currently set to start production is GOD IS A BULLET written and directed by Nick Cassavetes, based on the best-selling novel by Boston Teran; CUS AND MIKE directed by Nick Cassavetes and starring Academy Award winner Sir Anthony Hopkins and MY ONLY SUNSHINE directed by Joe Lynch starring Academy Award winner J.K. Simmons. Currently in post-production is BLACKOUT directed by Sam Macaroni starring Josh Duhamel, Abbie Cornish, Omar Chaparro, and Nick Nolte. Recent releases include CUT THROAT CITY directed by RZA and starring Terrence Howard, Wesley Snipes, T.I., Ethan Hawke, and Eiza Gonzalez; RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL starring Nicolas Cage & Laurence Fishburne; ZEROVILLE starring James Franco, Seth Rogen, Megan Fox, Joey King, and Jacki Weaver. Prior releases include: HANGMAN starring Al Pacino and I AM WRATH starring John Travolta. Patriot Pictures aims at entertainment that inspires social awareness spotlighting good vs evil in society throughout history and engaging audiences to participate in positive social change. Background: Mendelsohn has also arranged financing for such films as LORD OF WAR, written and directed by Andrew Niccol, starring Nicolas Cage and Ethan Hawke; Beacon Pictures’ and Wolfgang Peterson’s AIR FORCE ONE, Lakeshore Entertainment produced THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES, UNDERWORLD, the Wachowskis’ THE MATRIX, Icon Pictures produced WHAT WOMEN WANT and Quentin Tarantino’s RESERVOIR DOGS. www.patriotpictures.com

ABOUT UNION PATRIOT CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC:

Union Patriot Capital Management, LLC. is a strategic advisor and fund manager [$500 Million], founded by Michael Mendelsohn, President and CEO, through a finance facility provided by billionaire private equity financier. UPCM is uniquely positioned to finance film production, develop film packages, structure talent and distribution deals, and negotiate transactions. UPCM funds films and arranges distribution through major studios, independent distribution, film rebates and state incentives, and foreign sales. UPCM’s Michael Mendelsohn and team currently manages a senior “stretch” financing facility and principal capital investment fund totaling up to $500 million specializing in project production finance and film IP acquisition in the entertainment industry. Mr. Mendelsohn has been the prior Head of Media and Entertainment Finance and Advisor for BNP Paribas, Bank Of Tokyo/Union Bank of California and arranged production financing for/or produced over $2.1 billion in production financing and $5.8 billion in box office revenue for over 423 independent and major studio films. 

ABOUT XYZ FILMS:

XYZ Films is an integrated content company whose mission is to empower visionary storytellers from every corner of the planet. As an independent production company and worldwide sales agency, the company is uniquely suited to identify talented filmmakers and bring their stories to life. XYZ was founded in 2008 by Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, and Aram Tertzakian. XYZ won the 2017 Sundance Grand Jury Prize for Macon Blair’s I DON’T FEEL AT HOME IN THIS WORLD ANYMORE.

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