ENTERTAINMENT ONE BOARDS FABLE PICTURES STAN & OLLIE' STARRING STEVE COOGAN AND JOHN C. REILLY

London/Los Angeles February 17, 2016 Leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne), is pleased to announce it will co-finance with BBC Films, Fable Pictures' STAN & OLLIE, starring Academy Award nominees Steve Coogan (Philomena) and John C. Reilly (Guardians of the Galaxy).

Written by BAFTA Award winning screenwriter Jeff Pope (Philomena), STAN & OLLIE will be directed by Jon S. Baird (Filth) and produced by Faye Ward's Fable Pictures, in association with eOne Features and BBC Films. The rights to the work of Laurel and Hardy has been licensed by Larry Harmon Pictures Corporation.

Executive producers on the film are Christine Langan and Nichola Martin for BBC Films, Gabrielle Tana, as well as Jeff Pope for Sonesta Films.

Laurel & Hardy, the world s favourite comedy double act, set out on a variety hall tour of Britain in 1953. Diminished by age and with their golden era as the kings of Hollywood comedy now behind them, they face an uncertain future. As they set out, crisscrossing the country, attendances are disappointingly low. But they ve always been able to make each other laugh and as the charm and beauty of their performances shines through their audiences laugh too, and they re-connect with legions of adoring fans, old and new.

The tour becomes a hit, but Laurel & Hardy can t quite shake the spectre of Stan and Ollie's past; and long buried ghosts, coupled with Oliver s failing health, start to threaten their precious partnership. A portrait of the most tender and poignant of creative marriages begins to unfold as the duo, aware that they may be approaching their swan song, try to rediscover just how much they mean to each other.

We are thrilled to be teaming up with Faye Ward and BBC Films on this endearing film. We were immediately drawn to Jeff's engaging script and we are excited to have director Jon S. Baird, Steve Coogan and John C. Reilly all on board to bring it to life, said Xavier Marchand, President, eOne Features.

"I am delighted to be working with eOne. The team there really understands Laurel and Hardy s special legacy and the privilege and challenges of telling this story. The Stan & Ollie team are all looking forward to collaborating with them and BBC Films," said Faye Ward of Fable Pictures.

eOne Features is the company's feature film creative development and production unit. Upcoming releases include Gavin Hood's Eye in the Sky, Ricky Gervais' David Brent: Life on the Road, and Fabrice Du Welz's Message from the King. As part of a recently-inked partnership with Sierra Pictures, the international sales and distribution of films produced and acquired by eOne Features, are handled by Sierra/Affinity outside of territories where eOne directly distributes films.

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About Fable Pictures:

Fable Pictures is a new venture set up by British producer Faye Ward, following her critical and box office success of Suffragette.

Stan & Ollie is the first feature to be produced under new company banner.

About Entertainment One:

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company's comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

About BBC Films:

BBC Films is at the forefront of independent filmmaking in the UK, developing and co-producing around twelve films a year. Headed up by Christine Langan, BBC Films was awarded the Michael Balcon BAFTA for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema in 2015.

Recent releases include Nicholas Hytner's comedy drama The Lady in the Van; Anthony Wonke's documentary Being AP; John Crowley's romantic drama Brooklyn; Richard Bracewell's family comedy Bill, and Bill Condon's Mr. Holmes. Upcoming releases include Ricky Gervais's David Brent: Life on the Road and films currently in production include Stephen Frears's Florence Foster Jenkins, Ritesh Batra's The Sense of an Ending, James Marsh's Untitled Donald Crowhurst Project and Philippa Lowthorpe's Swallows and Amazons.

BBC Films' eclectic back catalogue includes Far from the Madding Crowd, Pride, Saving Mr. Banks, Philomena, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, My Week with Marilyn, We Need To Talk About Kevin, Jane Eyre, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Made in Dagenham, An Education, In the Loop, Fish Tank, My Summer of Love, Truly Madly Deeply, and Billy Elliot.

bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms

Twitter @BBCFilms

About Sierra/Affinity:

Sierra/Affinity is a leading independent film finance, production and foreign sales company, consistently delivering high-quality, commercially viable feature films for a global audience. Sierra/Affinity capitalizes on the ever-evolving global film marketplace, representing sales of third-party films as well as its own productions designed to appeal to both the North American and global marketplaces. In addition to representing sales of third party films, the company acts as the exclusive sales agent for films developed and produced by Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, OddLot Entertainment, Bold Films and Sierra Pictures. Following Entertainment One's (eOne) strategic equity investment in Sierra Pictures in January 2016, the international sales and distribution of films produced and acquired by eOne Features, as well as e

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