Lionsgate and Saw franchise creator Twisted Pictures have announced
their next collaboration, teaming up on the horror tale REPO! The
Genetic Opera.

Lionsgate president of international sales Stephanie Denton will show
buyers here a 12-minute promo-reel created by director Darren Lynn
Bousman at a special event to be announced.

Denton, president of acquisitions and co-productions Peter Block, and
executive vice president of acquisitions Jason Constantine brought the
project to Lionsgate on the strength of the promo that the Saw II and
Saw III director created in half a day.

REPO! The Genetic Opera is based on Terrence Zdunich and Darren
Smith's futuristic stage play about a corporation that sells human
organs during an epidemic and repossesses the body parts when the
owners default on payment.

Twisted's Mark Burg and Oren Koules are producing and Lionsgate will
distribute in the US and UK and sell remaining international rights.

'REPO! has been my passion since the day I read the script and I had
been waiting for the right opportunity to make it into a feature,'
Bousman, who directed the initial theatre run in autumn 2002, said.

'I couldn't be in a better position as Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate
have become family: they are not scared to take risks and they stand
behind their film-makers.

'Darren's creative instincts are impeccable and we are delighted to be
working with him again on this innovative feature,' Burg and Koules
added. 'Lionsgate has been the ideal partner for us on the Saw
franchise and was the only logical choice for us on REPO!'

'It's exciting to be collaborating with Darren, Mark and Oren again,
especially on such a ground-breaking feature film,' Denton said.

'REPO! is everything that we've come to expect from these uniquely
original minds, and the worldwide box office results on Saw III
confirm that Darren's distinctive vision and talent have worldwide
appeal.'

Twisted also produced the upcoming release Catacombs under its
nine-picture deal with Lionsgate, and its most recent feature Dead
Silence will shortly be released in North America through Universal
Pictures.

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