Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, announced today the acquisition of all North American rights to the romantic comedy Christmas in the Caribbean from MSR Media International. The film is written and directed by MSR Media’s Philippe Martinez (A Week in Paradise, One Year Off, Father Christmas is Back) with co-writer and star Nathalie Cox (Clash of The Titans, Exam), and the film also stars Elizabeth Hurley (The Royals, Gossip Girl) and Caroline Quentin (Bridgerton, Life Begins). The film is produced by Philippe Martinez and Alan Latham and executive produced by Karinne Behr, Lee Beasley, Jacob Katsman, Alastair Burlingham, Gary Raskin, Danny Chan, David Nagelberg, Katharyn Howe and Logan Taylor. Financing is provided by Sherborne Media. Screen Media is planning a day-and-date theatrical and on-demand release in November 2022. MSR Media International owns international distribution rights to the film.

Left at the altar by her fiancé, Rachel (Elizabeth Hurley) takes her best friends on her honeymoon to the Caribbean, where she gets her groove on and finds love at the beach.

Katharyn Howe, vice president of Global Acquisitions and Co-Productions at Screen Media, negotiated the deal with Karinne Behr, chief executive officer of MSR Media International and Philippe Martinez.

 “Christmas in the Caribbean was my fourth film shot in the beautiful islands of St. Kitts and Nevis with my dear friend and exceptional artist Elizabeth Hurley. I am so happy to have the fantastic team at Screen Media come on board to distribute Christmas in the Caribbean – they are the ideal partner to introduce this romantic comedy to audiences in the U.S.,” commented director Philippe Martinez.

“The title of Christmas in the Caribbean really says it all for us,” said Screen Media in a statement. “We love the stunning tropical setting of the film, the romantic ‘second chance at love’ storyline blended with a holiday-themed story of togetherness, and of course, the striking cast led by the inimitable Elizabeth Hurley."

Screen Media recently acquired the action film Code Name Banshee starring Antonio Banderas, Jaime King and Tommy Flanagan and The Locksmith starring Ryan Phillippe, Kate Bosworth, and Ving Rhames. Screen Media also acquired worldwide rights to the Bella Thorne-led thriller Saint Clare, the psychological thriller Cordelia starring Antonia Campbell-Hughes and Johnny Flynn, The Good Neighbor starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the psychological horror film Monstrous starring Christina Ricci, the thriller The Immaculate Room starring Emile Hirsch and Kate Bosworth, Kevin Lewis’ follow up to Willy’s Wonderland, and The Accursed starring Mena Suvari. They recently released Gigi Gaston’s 9 Bullets starring Lena Headey and Sam Worthington. 

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. 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. Screen Media also recently acquired 1091 Pictures. For more information, visit: www.screenmedia.net.

ABOUT MSR MEDIA

MSR Media is a boutique film and television production company based in the US and Saint Kitts and Nevis, led by Producer Philippe Martinez and Managing Director Lee Beasley. The company is uniquely positioned to create content suited to today’s exciting market: commercially viable film and television projects with very high production values and bankable lead actors, yet economically sound budgets.

MSR Media has strategic international distribution partnerships through their international sales arm MSR Media International led by C.E.O. Karinne Behr. The boutique-style, dynamic international sales company focuses on commercial feature films and television series for audiences around the world.

Headquartered in the US with offices in Saint Kitts and Nevis, MSR Media International’s commercially driven principals have years of experience in the film industry, uniquely bringing together finance, production and marketing skills to the company. MSR Media International fully understands the international sales market, and assists and advises content producers on script development, production, finance and crucially, effective marketing campaigns for projects to their long-standing buyers.

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.