Sony kicks off Lionsgate format

NATPE: Sony Pictures Television Networks (SPTN) is among the broadcasters to have picked up the format to forthcoming reality series Kicking & Screaming from Lionsgate.

Kicking & Screaming follows expert survivalists who
team up with pampered partners

The show will premiere on Fox in the US on March 9 as drama specialist Lionsgate continues its expansion into the unscripted space.

The survival show, the first of the US studio’s major reality brands, hails from executive producer Matt Kunitz, in association with Lionsgate Television. Hosted by Hannah Simone, it follows 10 expert survivalists as they team up with pampered partners to face tough challenges in a remote jungle.

SPTN has taken the format and series rights for Hungary, where it will air on Viasat3. Meanwhile, international production group Banijay has taken format rights covering France, Italy, Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden.

The studio continues to ramp up its non-scripted activities alongside its core business of scripted content. Last week, it formed a joint venture with Don’t Forget the Lyrics creator Jeff Apploff to create original non-scripted series and formats together.

Lionsgate’s slate of alternative programming includes E!’s Revenge Body with Khloé Kardashian and a series starring comedian Kevin Hart for Lionsgate’s Laugh Out Loud streaming platform.

Elsewhere, it is producing Candy Crush in partnership with CBS and Activision’s King Digital Media. Lionsgate also invested in Ultimate Fighter producer Pilgrim Media Group in 2015.

“These deals reflect not only the excitement that Kicking & Screaming is creating as we head into Natpe but the growing momentum of our entire slate of non-fiction programming,” said Ted Bookstaver, Lionsgate senior VP of alternative programming sales.