Lionsgate, Universal Music link for TV

US studio Lionsgate is joining forces with Universal Music Group (UMG) to develop scripted and unscripted TV projects drawn from the latter’s portfolio of labels, artists and music.

Kevin Beggs

The multi-year agreement will see Lionsgate work with UMG’s film and television production and development division Polygram Entertainment to develop ideas.

The aim is to produce premium programming from the music company’s labels, including Def Jam, Republic, Universal Music Nashville, Motown and Blue Note. UMG will produce and release soundtracks to accompany projects as part of the agreement.

The announcement builds on Lionsgate and UMG’s track record with film scores and soundtracks including La La Land (Interscope), The Hunger Games (Republic) and Divergent (Interscope).

Polygram develops, produces, finances and distributes original factual and scripted projects for music fans. Alongside Studio Canal, it recently co-distributed The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years.

The company is currently in production on the first fully authorised Motown documentary, with Berry Gordy executive producing, and has fully financed forthcoming docs on Luciano Pavarotti, directed by Ron Howard, and The Velvet Underground, from Todd Haynes.

Lionsgate Television Group chairman Kevin Beggs said: “With Polygram, UMG has produced award-winning films and we can’t wait to see what we can accomplish together in television. We see so much opportunity for storytelling in the talent and properties that UMG represents, and we look forward to working together to bring these incredible stories to life in a way that resonates with a global audience.”