August 12, 2014Cinedigms 8/5 Home Entertainment Release of GODS NOT DEAD Achieves Heavenly Reception at Retail and with Consumers Endorsed by The Dove Foundation, the faith-based film saw over 50% Blu-ray and DVD sell-through in first week in marketplace
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Cinedigm Corp. (NASDAQ: CIDM) announced today sales of the box office sensation GODS NOT DEAD from Pure Flix have exceeded 50% sell thru in the first week in marketplace. The announcement was made today by Cinedigm Entertainment president Bill Sondheim.
Grossing over $60 million at the box office following its March 2014 release, GODS NOT DEAD features a talented cast of actors including Kevin Sorbo (SOUL SURFER, HERCULES, ANDROMEDA), Shane Harper (GOOD LUCK CHARLIE, HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 2), David A.R. White (BROTHER WHITE, REVELATION ROAD and JERUSALEM COUNTDOWN), and Dean Cain (LOIS & CLARK: THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN), with special appearances by Christian super-band Newsboys and Duck Dynastys Willie and Korie Robertson.
GODS NOT DEAD captured the hearts and souls of audiences during its theatrical release and we are so pleased to see the same excitement for the home entertainment release, said Sondheim. We are firm believers in serving the faith-based community with releases like GODS NOT DEAD, as well as several new acquisitions we will be announcing shortly. And, our upcoming, direct-to-consumer digital network with The Dove Foundation is yet another way we are connecting strong faith-based content with consumers looking for curated family and faith friendly content.
I am thrilled to see both retailers and consumers respond so enthusiastically to the home entertainment release of GODS NOT DEAD. From the beginning, The Dove Foundation has been a strong supporter of this fantastic film, so its very rewarding to see audiences embracing the film, as well, said Dick Rolfe, CEO of The Dove Foundation. Cinedigm clearly knows the faith entertainment category very well and they have done a great job getting it placed at retail. We look forward to tapping into their expertise on our upcoming digital streaming subscription network, DOVE MOVIE CHANNEL, and bringing faith and family content to demanding audiences 24/7, 365.
Earlier this year, Cinedigm announced a partnership with The Dove Foundation, known for its signature blue and white Dove Seal of approval on family-friendly movies, to launch a direct-to-consumer over-the-top (OTT) digital streaming subscription service targeted to families and kids seeking high-quality and family-friendly content approved by Dove. Dove Movie Channel streaming service will feature Cinedigms vast library of family-friendly, faith-based and kids content, as well as acquired content and original programming. Today, millions of families rely on The Dove Foundations ratings system, which has the participation of all major studios and hundreds of independent distributors and producers. Doves research has shown that its endorsed films are three times more profitable than non-endorsed films. All content released on the channel will meet the stringent guidelines of the Dove Seal in order to be programmed on the service.
Film Synopsis:
Present-day college freshman and devout Christian, Josh Wheaton (Shane Harper), finds his faith challenged on his first day of Philosophy class by the dogmatic and argumentative Professor Radisson (Kevin Sorbo). Radisson begins class by informing students that they will need to disavow, in writing, the existence of God on that first day, or face a failing grade. As other students in the class begin scribbling the words God Is Dead on pieces of paper as instructed, Josh finds himself at a crossroads, having to choose between his faith and his future. Josh offers a nervous refusal, provoking an irate reaction from his smug professor. Radisson assigns him a daunting task: if Josh will not admit that God Is Dead, he must prove Gods existence by presenting well-researched, intellectual arguments and evidence over the course of the semester, and engage Radisson in a head-to-head debate in front of the class. If Josh fails to convince his classmates of Gods existence, he will fail the course and hinder his lofty academic goals. With almost no one in his corner, Josh wonders if he can really fight for what he believes. Can he actually prove the existence of God? Wouldnt it just be easier just to write God Is Dead and put the whole incident behind him? GODS NOT DEAD weaves together multiple stories of faith, doubt and disbelief, culminating in a dramatic call to action. The film will educate, entertain, and inspire moviegoers to explore what they really believe about God, igniting important conversations and life-changing decisions.
ABOUT CINEDIGM:
Cinedigm is a leading independent content distributor in the United States, with direct relationships with over 60,000 physical retail storefronts and digital platforms, including Wal-Mart, Target, iTunes, Netflix, and Amazon, as well as the national Video on Demand platform on cable television. The companys library of over 52,000 films and TV episodes encompasses award-winning documentaries from Docurama Films , next-gen Indies from Flatiron Film Company , acclaimed independent films and festival picks through partnerships with the Sundance Institute and Tribeca Films and a wide range of content from brand name suppliers, including National Geographic, Discovery, Scholastic, WWE, NFL, Shout Factory, Hallmark, Jim Henson and more.
Additionally, given Cinedigms infrastructure, technology, content and distribution expertise, the company has rapidly become a leader in the quickly evolving over-the-top digital network business. In addition to DOCURAMA, earlier this year Cinedigm announced plans for a Comic Con branded channel, in partnership with WIZARD WORLD, for launch in Q4 2014. The Company rec
