New killer crocodile feature continues the Black Water franchise

Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, today announced the acquisition of all North American rights to the survival thriller Black Water: Abyss, the follow-up to the horror film Black Water. The original film was an underground hit when it was released to positive reviews in 2007.

In Black Water: Abyss, a group of friends explore a remote cave system deep in the forests of Northern Austrailia when a tropical storm hits. As rising flood waters trap them deep below the surface, something even deadlier emerges from the darkness – killer crocodiles. Screen Media will release the film day and date on August 7, 2020.  

Directed by award winning filmmaker Andrew Traucki (The ABCs of Death, The Reef, Black Water), the film was written by John Ridley and Sarah Smith and produced by Neal Kingston, Michael Robertson and Pam Collis. Black Water: Abyss stars Jessica McNamee (The Meg), Luke Mitchell (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Amali Golden (Bloom), Benjamin Hoetjes (The Code), and Anthony J. Sharpe (Robert the Bruce).

“We’re incredibly excited to have Screen Media on board this visceral journey of tension, suspense and teeth,” said Neal Kingston, partner alongside Michael Robertson in newly formed production company Thrills & Spills.

“As a huge fan of the original film – and their other nerve-wracking creature films - I’m excited Screen Media can be part of the clever and well-executed thrill ride that is Black Water: Abyss,” said Seth Needle, SVP of Global Acquisitions and Co-Productions for Screen Media.

The deal was negotiated by Needle with Mike Runagall, Managing Director at Altitude Film Sales on behalf of the producers. Altitude is handling foreign sales and will be active on the title at the Cannes Virtual Market in June.

The Black Water: Abyss acquisition continues Screen Media’s aggressive rollout strategy. The company recently announced the acquisition of Blackbird, the Roger-Michell-helmed drama starring Susan Saradon, Kate Winslet and Mia Wasikowska. Historic drama Robert the Bruce, which debuted in April, has been topping the independent charts, while Tom-Berenger thriller Blood and Money was released last week. In addition, Screen Media announced the acquisition of Rod Lurie’s feature film The Outpost, based on Jake Tapper’s New York Times Best Seller The Outpost: An Untold Story of American Valor, and released John Turturro’s The Jesus Rolls on DVD earlier this month. The company is also in post-production on Wally’s Wonderland with Nicolas Cage.

About Screen Media Ventures, LLC

Screen Media Ventures, LLC, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, acquires the rights to high quality, independent television series and feature films for the US and Canada. Screen Media Ventures acquires worldwide rights for distribution through theatrical, home video, pay-per-view, free, cable and pay television, video-on-demand, and new digital media platforms. The company acquires AVOD rights for third party networks and is the main supplier of content for Crackle Plus and other Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment properties. With a library of over 1,500 television series and motion pictures, Screen Media Ventures is one of the largest independent suppliers of high-quality tv series and motion pictures to U.S. and international broadcast markets, cable networks, home video outlets and new media venues. For more information, visit: www.screenmedia.net

About Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) operates streaming video-on-demand networks (VOD). The company owns a majority stake in Crackle Plus, a company formed with Sony Pictures Television, which owns and operates a variety of ad-supported and subscription-based VOD networks including Crackle, Popcornflix, Popcornflix Kids, Truli, Pivotshare, Españolflix and FrightPix. The company also acquires and distributes video content through its Screen Media subsidiary and produces original long and short-form content through Landmark Studio Group, its Chicken Soup for the Soul Originals division and APlus.com. 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.