Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, announced today the acquisition of North American distribution rights to the science fiction action series Salvage Marines. The cinematic and action-packed series will be released on the Crackle Plus streaming services as a Crackle and Popcornflix Original in July 2022.

The dystopian futuristic series follows Samuel (Emmy Award-Winning actor Casper Van Dien (Starship Troopers, Sleepy Hollow), who works as a factory laborer on planet Baen 6. When Samuel learns his wife is pregnant, he does the only thing he can to ensure his child will avoid the same societal debt he has – enlist in the planet’s military ranks as a salvage marine. Armand Assante (Judge Dredd, American Gangster) also stars in the series alongside Peter Shinkoda (The Predator, Midway).

The series is directed by Shaun Paul Piccinino (Deadliest Warrior), co-written by Sean-Michael Argo and Rafael Jordan, and produced by Philippe Martinez for MSR Media, Jake Seal and Jamie R Thompson for Orwo Studios, and Terry Bird from Black Hangar Studios with MSR Media Karinne Behr and Lee Beasley acting as executive producers. Production financing for the series was provided by Sherborne Media, with Alastair Burlingham, Gary Raskin, Charlie Dombek and Elizabeth Primm serving as executive producers.

“We’re thrilled to bring Salvage Marines to the Crackle Plus platforms,” said Screen Media. “It’s a perfect blend of sci-fi and action, and it builds a deep and gripping world that our audiences are sure to get lost in.”

“Crackle is the perfect launchpad for Salvage Marines,” said Orwo. “It took us over four years from optioning the book to bring this series to release, and we are excited to see how sci-fi fans react.”

The deal was negotiated by Seth Needle, executive vice president of Global Acquisitions and Co-Productions, on behalf of Screen Media and Jake Seal on behalf of Orwo Distribution. MSR Media International is representing international rights.

Crackle Plus’ recent releases include the exclusive scripted series Les Norton, which stars Alexander Bertram and Rebel Wilson, Tia Mowery’s Comfort Kitchen, the suspense thriller Blast, audience favorite Inside the Black Box and the award-winning BBC series Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. They also recently announced season three of the award-winning Ashton Kutcher-produced series Going From Broke. 

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 BLACK HANGAR STUDIOS 

Black Hangar Studios is the UK’s most versatile studio – a fully integrated and cutting-edge movie studio with virtual sets, photogrammetry, In house production crew, full post production services, largest standing green screen cyclorama in Europe, covid lab on site and wide ranging backlot. Known for: Star Wars Rogue One, Dumbo, 24 Die Another Day, Ra One, Top Gear, Dr Who. Financed and produced:) Breaking The Bank (Kelsey Grammer) Miracle landing on the Hudson, Born To Be Blue (Ethan Hawke), 97 Minutes (Alec Baldwin). www.blackhangarstudios.com

ABOUT ORWO STUDIOS 

Orwo Studios is Louisiana’s most unique production facility -- a full serviced physical film studio located in Jackson, Louisiana boasting a ranging backlot, accommodation, post production services, VFX and full delivery. Known for: Magnificent Seven, Free State of Jones, Mazerunner. Financed and produced: Blaze (Directed by Ethan Hawke), Jeepers Creepers 3, Back Roads, Salvage Marines, Grand Isle (Nicholas Cage), Willy's Wonderland, The System, Jeepers Creepers Reborn. www.orwo.studio

ABOUT THE ORWO GROUP 

The Orwo Group develops and produces color and b/w films for cameras in the photographic and cinematic market under the ORWO brand in a century-old tradition. Uniting many specialty companies from the most diverse areas of the “film” value chain. Through the companies InovisCoat GmbH (spin-off of the research department of the former AGFA Leverkusen, Germany) and FilmoTec GmbH (spin-off of the former ORWO, located in Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany).  www.orwo.family

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. 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.