SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT AND ODDLOT ENTERTAINMENT
KICKOFF PRODUCTION FOR DRAFT DAY ON APRIL 25, 2013

Principal Photography Starting in New York to Film during Actual
2013 NFL Draft and Will Continue in Cleveland

Santa Monica, CA  April 24, 2013 – Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE® company, and OddLot Entertainment announced today that principal photography of the co-production of DRAFT DAY will commence on April 25th.  Filming of the dramedy is starting in New York in time to film scenes during the actual 2013 NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall. The movie, starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Ellen Burstyn and Denis Leary, is being directed and produced by Ivan Reitman from a script by Rajiv Joseph and Scott Rothman. The film will also feature Frank Langella, Chadwick Boseman, Terry Crews, Sean Combs, Josh Pence, Rosanna Arquette, Timothy Simons, David Ramsey, Wade Williams, Chi McBride, W. Earl Brown, Brad Henke, Griffin Newman, Kevin Dunn, Patrick St. Esprit, Arian Foster, Christopher Cousins, Pat Healy, Laura Steinel and Wallace Langham. Once filming in New York is complete, production will move to Cleveland.

OddLot Entertainment is co-financing the film. Producing the film with Reitman is OddLot’s CEO Gigi Pritzker along with Joe Medjuck, and Ali Bell via the Montecito Picture Company banner. Montecito’s Tom Pollock and Michael Buegg will executive produce.

DRAFT DAY continues in the tradition of Costner’s great sports themed films such as BULL DURHAM, FIELD OF DREAMS and TIN CUP. Costner won an Academy Award® for his work on DANCES WITH WOLVES and was most recently honored with a Golden Globe® for his performance in “Hatfields & McCoys.”

Reitman is the influential director and producer who changed the face of American film comedy by producing ANIMAL HOUSE and then directing MEATBALLS, STRIPES, and GHOSTBUSTERS. Reitman’s other directing credits include: TWINS, KINDERGARTEN COP, SIX DAYS SEVEN NIGHTS, DAVE, and most recently, NO STRINGS ATTACHED.

Erik Feig, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group’s President of Production, said, “DRAFT DAY is that perfect movie with a little something for everyone – adrenaline, high stakes, laughs, and ultimately a fantastic group of characters brought to screen by a master director. We are thrilled to be starting production on what we know will be an instant classic with our friends and partners at OddLot and Montecito.”

“We are thrilled to continue our collaborative relationship with Summit and Lionsgate on DRAFT DAY and excited to work on this project with Ivan, Tom and Kevin,” said Michael Nathanson and Bill Lischak, Co-Presidents of OddLot. “We look forward to starting principal photography next week during the actual NFL Draft at Radio City Music Hall which gives this film a great sense of authenticity.”

“We are very proud to be producing DRAFT DAY, a great screenplay we found and championed, which then went on to be the number one script on last year’s Black List,” said Montecito co-owner Tom Pollock. “For Ivan as a director, the project is reminiscent of DAVE, one of his best films, and for Kevin, it is in the spirit of FIELD OF DREAMS.”

In DRAFT DAY, on the day of the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Costner) has the opportunity to save football in Cleveland when he trades for the number one pick. He must quickly decide what he’s willing to sacrifice in pursuit of perfection as the lines between his personal and professional life become blurred on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with dreams of playing in the NFL.

Feig and Meredith Milton, Summit Entertainment’s Executive Vice President of Production, will oversee the project for the studio. Linda McDonough, OddLot’s Executive Vice President of Production and Development, will oversee the project on behalf of OddLot.

NOTES TO EDITORS (Actor – Role)

Kevin Costner – “Sonny Weaver Jr.”
Jennifer Garner – “Ali”
Denis Leary – “Coach Penn”
Ellen Burstyn – “Barb Weaver”
Frank Langella – “Anthony Molina”
Chadwick Boseman – “Vontae Mack”
Terry Crews – “Earl Jennings”
Sean Combs – “Chris Crawford”
Josh Pence – “Bo Callahan”
Rosanna Arquette – “Angie” (Ex-Wife)
Timothy Simons – “Marx” (Scout)
David Ramsey – “Thompson” (Scout)
Wade Williams – “O’Reilly” (Scout)
Chi McBride- “Walt Gordon”
W. Earl Brown – “Ralph Mowry”
Brad Henke – “Tony ‘Bagel’ Bagli”
Griffin Newman – “Rick” (Intern)
Kevin Dunn – “Marvin”
Patrick St. Esprit – “Tom Michaels”
Arian Foster – “Ray Jennings”
Christopher Cousins – “Max Stone”
Pat Healy – “Jeff Carson”
Laura Steinel – “Heather”
Wallace Langham- “Pete Begler”

The film will also feature NFL players Demario Davis, James Brewer, Ramses Barden, Zoltan Mesko, and Stephen Hill, as well as NFL and ESPN on-air talent Jon Gruden, Mike Mayock, Deion Sanders, Rich Eisen, Mel Kiper and Chris Berman.

About Summit Entertainment
Summit Entertainment, a LIONSGATE® company, is a worldwide theatrical motion picture development, financing, production and distribution studio. The company handles all aspects of marketing and distribution for both its own internally developed motion pictures as well as acquired pictures. Summit also represents international sales for both its own slate and third party product.

About OddLot Entertainment
OddLot Entertainment is a Los Angeles-based film and television production company that develops, produces, finances and arranges distribution for quality, commercial properties for both the domestic and international markets.

OddLot is currently in production on ENDER’S GAME, written and directed by Gavin Hood, and starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Viola Davis, Hailee Steinfeld , Abigail Breslin and Asa Butterfield as “Ender.”  Summit Entertainment is co-financing the film and will release it domestically November 1, 2013. OddLot also recently completed production of THE WAY, WAY BACK, a comedic drama from Academy Award®-winning writers Jim Rash and Nat Faxon (THE DESCENDANTS), which was acquired by Fox Searchlight at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.  The film stars Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, AnnaSophia Robb, Amanda Peet and Liam James. OddLot’s other credits include producing the critically-acclaimed DRIVE, RABBIT HOLE and FROM PRADA TO NADA.  Past credits for Pritzker include THE WEDDING PLANNER, GREEN STREET HOOLIGANS and MEAN CREEK.

Additionally, OddLot has a joint venture with acclaimed maverick filmmaker Robert Rodriguez. The production shingle will develop, produce and independently finance action-oriented commercial films, which will either be directed and/or produced by Rodriguez.  OddLot also has a first-look deal with writer/director Tom McCarthy, which covers all media including film and TV.

About Montecito Picture Company
Formed in 1998, The Montecito Picture Company was founded by partners Tom Pollock, who previously served as Chairman of Universal Motion Picture Group and accomplished Director/Producer Ivan Reitman. The Company has produced such films as UP IN THE AIR, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, I LOVE YOU MAN, OLD SCHOOL, DISTURBIA, and HITCHCOCK. The company has offices in Santa Barbara and Beverly Hills.

Contact:
Paul Pflug / Hans-Dieter Kopal
Principal Communications Group
(323) 658-1555
Paul@pcommgroup.com / Hans@pcommgroup.com