Lions Gate, Televisa launch joint venture to target Hispanic audiences

Lions Gate, Televisa launch Hispanic film venture

LOS ANGELES — Lions Gate and Televisa are teaming up to make movies for the fast-growing Hispanic population in the U.S., who account for a quarter of the country’s frequent moviegoers.

The boutique movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa SA are calling the joint venture they announced Tuesday Pantelion Films.

It kicks off with January’s release of the comedy “From Prada To Nada.”

Pantelion aims to make four to five films a year and acquire and distribute four to five more.

Televisa CEO Emilio Azcarraga said Lions Gate has a “proven track record of supplying hit movies to large niche audiences.”

About 26 million of the nation’s roughly 100 moviegoers are Hispanic, Lions Gate said.

Lions Gate, which is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, but operates out of Santa Monica, Calif., is in an ongoing ownership battle with investor Carl Icahn. It is currently riding the success of “The Expendables,” the Sylvester Stallone-led action flick that has taken in nearly $100 million at the domestic box office.