Mooky Greidinger

Source: Cineworld

Mooky Greidinger

Embattled Cineworld boss Mooky Greidinger turned up on stage at Lionsgate’s CinemaCon presentation on Thursday and hailed Regal staff ahead of a clip of The Hunger Games: The Ballard Of Songbirds & Snakes.

Greidinger recalled his company distributing The Hunger Games films in Israel and Eastern Europe. Cineworld is reorganising after placing most of its business under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the US – although not in its Rest of World’ business in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania and Israel . 

Earlier in April Cineworld filed a plan to exit bankruptcy which will mostly wipe out existing shareholders. Last week the company withdrew plans to sell its cinemas in Israel and Eastern Europe, having previously abandoning plans to sell its businesses in the US – where it owns Regal – the UK and Ireland.

Lionsgate vice-chair of the motion picture group Adam Fogelson took to the stage to cue up a trailer for The Hunger Games: The Ballard Of Songbirds & Snakes, which will open on November 17.

Fogelson referenced upcoming Lionsgate releases this year: 2022 TIFF comedy horror hit The Blackening on June 16; action ensemble Expendables 4 with Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and 50 Cent on September 22; drama Ordinary Angels starring Hilary Swank and Alan Ritchson on October 13; and horror Saw X on October 27.

This week the company releases comedy drama Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret. and Finnish genre title and 2022 TIFF world premiere Sisu.

The session at the Colosseum in Caesar’s Palace ended with a screening of SXSW hit Joy Ride after director and co-writer Adele Lim joined cast Stephanie Hsu (Oscar-nominated for Everything Everywhere All At Once), Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, and Sabrina Wu and producer Seth Rogen to talk up the July 7 R-rated comedy about four friends who embark on a debauched international trip.