Magnet Takes US Rights To PLAYBACK

The Wagner/Cuban Company’s Magnet Releasing, genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, announced today they have acquired US rights to PLAYBACK, a frightening horror film featuring Christian Slater, directed by Michael Nickles.

Magnet will release PLAYBACK through its Ultra VOD program in February, launching the film on all digital VOD platforms prior to its theatrical release in March.

While digging into their town’s infamous past, a group of high school students unwittingly unlock a dark secret, unleashing an evil spirit that takes possession of its victims. In addition to Slater, the film stars Toby Hemingway, Johnny Pacar and Ambyr Childers.

“PLAYBACK is very scary and a lot of fun,” said Magnolia/Magnet President Eamonn Bowles. “We think it will be a hit with horror fans.”

The deal was negotiated for Magnet by SVP of Acquisitions Dori Begley, Director of Acquisitions Peter Van Steemberg, and Head of Legal and Business Affairs Chris Matson with Nate Bolotin from Celluloid Nightmares.

Lawrence Robbins and John M. Bennett produced “Playback” under their New York production banner, Bennett Robbins Productions. Bennett Robbins has previously Co-Executive produced MGM’s “The Betrayed,” starring Melissa George, and Co-Executive Produced the romantic comedy “Coming and Going,” directed by Edoardo Ponti and starring Rhys Darby and Sasha Alexander that recently premiered on TNT.

About Magnet Releasing

Magnet is the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, specializing in films from the vanguard of horror, action, comedy and Asian cinema.  Upcoming films include Michael Dowse’s hockey comedy Goon, Ti West’s Innkeepers, the upcoming horror super-anthology ABC’s of Death, Takeshi Kitano’s Outrage, Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America, Panos Cosmatos’ Beyond the Black Rainbow, and many more. Magnolia Pictures is the theatrical and home entertainment distribution arm of the Wagner/Cuban Companies, a vertically integrated group of media properties co-owned by Todd Wagner and Mark Cuban that also include the Landmark Theatres chain, the production company 2929 Productions, and high-definition cable network HDNet.

About Celluloid Nightmares

Nate Bolotin, Nick Spicer, Aram Tertzakian and Todd Brown’s XYZ Films partnered with Hengameh Panahi’s Celluloid Dreams to create the elevated genre label, Celluloid Nightmares. The label recently premiered the Indonesian action film THE RAID which opened the Toronto International Film Festival’s “Midnight Madness” program and won the audience award for best picture.  Recently, the two companies have broadened their agenda to include acquiring prestige titles like GREETINGS FROM TIM BUCKLEY for sales under the Celluloid Dreams banner, as well as the Adrien Brody starrer DETACHMENT which premiered earlier this year at the Tribeca Film Festival.