Lionsgate UK

Overview

Lionsgate UK is the British subsidiary of Lionsgate Films, operating from offices in Fitzrovia, London. The company was originally founded in 1997 as Redbus Film Distribution by Simon Franks and Zygi Kamasa. Lionsgate acquired Redbus in October 2005 for $35 million and rebranded it as Lionsgate UK on February 23, 2006. The company is led by Marie-Claire Benson, executive vice president and head of the UK Motion Picture Group, who joined Lionsgate UK in the home entertainment division in 2009 and has led the motion picture group since 2020.

Lionsgate UK's release slate is approximately 60% titles from the US parent company and 40% local acquisitions. The company distributes Lionsgate's theatrical slate across the UK and Ireland, including franchise films from The Hunger Games, John Wick, and Twilight series, alongside independent acquisitions of British and international films. Following the parent company's acquisition of eOne in December 2023, Lionsgate UK expanded its London operations and absorbed eOne's UK theatrical distribution infrastructure.

For British filmmakers and international filmmakers targeting the UK theatrical market, Lionsgate UK combines commercial distribution scale with an active acquisitions program focused on British stories, British filmmakers, and British talent.

The Housemaid and Recent Box Office

The Housemaid (directed by Paul Feig, starring Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried) became Lionsgate UK's second-highest-grossing release ever in the UK and Ireland. Released December 26, 2025, the film opened to a 3.1 million pound opening weekend and reached over 31.1 million pounds at the UK-Ireland box office. The UK and Ireland is the film's highest-grossing international territory, ahead of France's 26.7 million pounds ($36 million), contributing to a $367 million worldwide total. Lionsgate UK's highest-grossing release remains The Hunger Games: Catching Fire at 34.2 million pounds.

Other recent Lionsgate UK releases include:

• The Iron Claw (2024) - wrestling drama starring Zac Efron
• Love Lies Bleeding (2024) - Rose Glass's thriller pre-bought by Lionsgate UK
• The Critic (2024) - Ian McKellen thriller acquired with True Brit Entertainment, released September 13, 2024
• The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2025) - Cannes 2024 competition title
• The Penguin Lessons (2025) - starring Steve Coogan
• Tornado (2025) - John Maclean survival thriller
• Wasteman (2026) - Cal McMau's debut prison drama starring David Jonsson and Tom Blyth, reached 884,000 pounds at UK-Ireland box office
• H is for Hawk - UK indie drama

Lionsgate UK also took over UK-Ireland distribution of Anatomy of a Fall (Justine Triet's 2023 Palme d'Or winner) from Picturehouse Entertainment, releasing it theatrically in November 2023. The company previously released Triangle of Sadness (2022 Palme d'Or winner) in the UK and Ireland.

Acquisitions Strategy

Marie-Claire Benson has stated that Lionsgate UK predominantly wants to acquire British stories, British filmmakers, and British talent. The company's acquisitions team is led by Emma Berkofsky, head of acquisitions and co-productions, who received the Wasteman screenplay in April 2024 and closed the deal for full UK rights from sales agent Bankside Films before the BFI or any broadcaster was attached. Alex Gardener-Smith heads commercial planning.

Lionsgate UK's acquisition approach includes:

• Pre-buying UK rights at script stage for British projects with strong writing and casting potential, as with Wasteman and Love Lies Bleeding
• Taking over distribution of festival titles from other UK distributors to amplify releases, as with Anatomy of a Fall (from Picturehouse) and Triangle of Sadness (from Curzon)
• Partnering with British production entities like True Brit Entertainment (Zygi Kamasa's company) for co-distribution
• Acquiring international festival titles for UK-Ireland release, including Cannes competition films

The UK's new film tax credit, introduced in 2024, has increased the volume of UK-set projects coming through Lionsgate UK's acquisition pipeline, according to Benson.

Home Entertainment and Streaming

Lionsgate UK manages home entertainment and digital releases for its UK theatrical output through Elevation Sales, a joint venture with StudioCanal UK. The company distributes physical media and digital editions through major UK retailers and digital platforms. Lionsgate UK's streaming relationships include output deals with Amazon Prime Video UK and other platforms, providing structured post-theatrical streaming windows for Lionsgate releases.

Subsidiaries and joint ventures include Elevation Sales (with StudioCanal UK), Primal Media, and Potboiler Television (a joint venture with Potboiler Productions).

What Filmmakers Should Know

Lionsgate UK is a realistic acquisition target for British filmmakers and international filmmakers with commercial-scale projects targeting the UK theatrical market. The company's hybrid commercial-and-acquisitions model means it considers a range of project types beyond franchise studio fare.

For independent British films with commercial audience potential, including genre films, prestige drama with strong casting, and international acquisitions with UK market appeal, Lionsgate UK's distribution scale provides theatrical reach that boutique arthouse labels cannot deliver. The company's marketing budget and screen access give commercially positioned independent films better theatrical performance potential than smaller distributors can achieve.

Lionsgate UK acquires through sales agents at Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and AFM, and through direct relationships with British production companies. The company is particularly active in pre-buying UK rights at script stage for British projects. Filmmakers should approach through their sales agent or production company, as Lionsgate UK does not typically accept cold submissions.

See Also

For Lionsgate's US theatrical distribution, see the Lionsgate Films entry in this directory. For UK specialty and arthouse distribution, see Curzon and BFI Distribution. To model potential UK-Ireland theatrical revenue for your film, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For how UK distribution deals are typically structured, see Distribution Deals Explained.