Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company and one of the largest operators of advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) streaming services, announced today the July 28th premiere date of the Popcornflix original sci-fi series Salvage Marines starring Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers, Con Man), Peter Shinkoda (The Man in the High Castle, Daredevil), Armand Assante (The Mambo Kings, Judge Dredd), Elle LaMont (From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, Machete Kills), Jennifer Wenger (Stripped, Lavalantula), and Kevin Porter (The Watchers, The X-Files). 

The series tells the story of a grim future of corporate tyranny and deep space combat, where Samuel Hyst (Van Dien) can barely make ends meet as a factory laborer, daring not to dream of a life beyond the polluted industrial planet of Baen 6. Everything changes when his young wife, Sura, reveals that she is pregnant, and Samuel is faced with the harsh reality that his child will be born into the same servitude that he was. Determined to create a better life for his growing family, Samuel and his best friend Ben Takeda (Shinkoda) sign up for the hazardous life of a salvage marine, the foot soldiers of a militarized deep space operation. 

The sci-fi action series, premiering exclusively on Popcornflix, is based on books 1-3 of the Necrospace book series written by Sean-Michael Argo. The series was created by Raphael Jordan, Jamie R. Thompson and Sean-Michael Argo and directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino. 

“This series is a fantastic homage to the pulp sci-fi films and TV shows of the mid-90s that made Casper Van Dien a star,” said Jeff Meier, head of programming for Crackle Plus. “We’re excited for this explosive premiere and look forward to drawing the Popcornflix audience into the deep-space heroics of the Salvage Marines!”

“This show holds a special place in my heart as a huge fan of all the classic sci-fi I loved growing up,” said series lead and co-executive producer Casper Van Dien. “Popcornflix is the perfect place to launch this adrenaline-fueled series for all fans to enjoy for free!”  

The Popcornflix AVOD app is free on Roku, FireTV, Samsung TV, LG TV, AppleTV, Android TV, IOS and Android mobile and tablets, as well as on desktop. 

The series is produced by ORWO Studios and Telegael in association with Black Hangar Studios and Lighthouse Pictures and is distributed in the U.S. by Screen Media.

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include the popular sketch comedy series Funny Girls, the hit college thriller series In the Vault, the exclusive scripted series Les Norton, which stars Alexander Bertram and Rebel Wilson, Inside the Black Box, hosted by Joe Morton, and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. Crackle Plus also recently announced season three of the award-winning series Going From Broke.

The Crackle Plus streaming Apps and channels are currently distributed through 85 touch points in the U.S. on platforms including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and Xbox One), Plex, iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktops atCrackle.com, with previously announced plans to expand to over 110 touch points. Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain.

ABOUT CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL ENTERTAINMENT

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) (the “Company”) operates video-on-demand (VOD) streaming services. The Company owns Crackle Plus, which owns and operates a variety of ad- supported VOD streaming services including Crackle, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Popcornflix, Popcornflix Kids, Truli, Pivotshare, Españolflix and FrightPix. The Company also acquires and distributes video content through its Screen Media and 1091 Pictures subsidiaries and produces original video content through the Chicken Soup for the Soul Television Group. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment is a subsidiary of Chicken Soup for the Soul, LLC, which publishes the famous book series and produces super-premium pet food under the Chicken Soup for the Soul brand name.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements are based on various assumptions, whether or not identified in this press release, and on the current expectations of management and are not predictions of actual performance. Such assumptions involve a number of known and unknown risks and uncertainties, including but not limited to our core strategy, operating income and margin, seasonality, liquidity, including cash flows from operations, available funds, and access to financing sources, free cash flows, revenues, net income, profitability, stock price volatility, future regulatory changes, price changes, the ability of the Company’s content offerings to achieve market acceptance, the Company’s success in retaining or recruiting officers, key employees, or directors, the ability to protect intellectual property, the ability to complete strategic acquisitions, the ability to manage growth and integrate acquired operations, the ability to pay dividends, regulatory or operational risks, and general market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s services. For a more complete description of these and other risks and uncertainties, please refer the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, filed with the SEC on March 31, 2022, and the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on May 11, 2022. On May 10, 2022, the Company entered into a merger agreement to acquire Redbox Entertainment, Inc. We refer you to the presentation filed as Exhibit 99.2 under cover of a Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the Company with the SEC on May 22, 2022 for information regarding the proposed business acquisition transaction. If the proposed business acquisition is consummated, in addition to the risks noted above, we also face the risks detailed in Redbox’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from the results implied by these forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof and the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the Company’s expectations with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.