Tiger Gate, the Lionsgate-backed Asian film and TV venture, has brought on board two additional financial partners and started the roll-out of its two genre channels Thrill and KIX.

The two financial partners are Asia Pacific investment firm, TMET Fund Management, and China-based Meadow Technology Partners (MTP), which between them hold around 25% of the company. Lionsgate and Tiger Gate management are also investors in the Hong Kong-based outfit, with management holding the controlling share.

Founded by former Celestial Pictures chief William Pfeiffer and former Lionsgate executive vice president Paul Presburger, Tiger Gate aims to be involved in film and TV production as well as roll out its two genre channels across Asia.

So far the channels have been launched on three platforms in the fast-growing Indonesian pay-TV market – Indovision, Okevision and Aora. Launches in Singapore and Hong Kong are expected by the end of the year, with other Asian territories slated to follow in 2010.

Thrill screens Asian and Hollywood thriller/horror/suspense blockbusters and TV series, while KIX is an Asian action channel, offering reality shows, extreme sports, fight events and action films.

On the content side, Tiger Gate is developing a slate of four feature films, including an animated feature and live-action genre films from China, Korea and Taiwan. The company is also looking at properties in the Lionsgate library that are suitable for Asian-language remakes and developing several TV series including two reality shows.

“We see great opportunities in branded international channel platforms, and the horror and action markets are a space we know well,” said Lionsgate co-chairman and CEO Jon Feltheimer. “I’ve worked closely with William and Paul since our Sony days, and we believe that Tiger Gate is well positioned to have an immediate impact in this large and growing niche.”

Other key executives in the Tiger Gate management team include Michael Chan, Jeremy Hall-Smith and Patrick Corr.

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