Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Announces Up to 200 Hours of New Original and Exclusive Programming for Crackle Plus at 2020 NewFronts

Rhea-AI Summary

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) announced the expansion of its Crackle Plus platform with up to 200 hours of new original programming. The success of shows like Going From Broke has led to a second season and a broader slate of content including sports documentaries and scripted series. Crackle Plus has seen approximately 40% audience growth since October 2019, contributing to a doubling of content offerings. New exclusive films featuring stars such as Nicolas Cage and Demi Moore are also set to premiere.

Positive

• Crackle Plus has doubled its content offerings since May 2019.
• The platform experienced approximately 40% audience growth since the introduction of original programming.
• New scripted and unscripted shows are expected to expand the audience engagement.

Negative

• None.

Crackle Original Series Going From Broke, Executive Produced by Ashton Kutcher and hosted by Chegg CEO Dan Rosensweig, picked up for a second season

Additional programming starring Nicolas Cage, Demi Moore, Tom Berenger, Angus Macfadyen and more

COS COB, Conn., June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE), one of the largest operators of streaming advertising-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) networks, today announced up to 200 hours of new original and exclusive programming for Crackle Plus.

As one of the only AVODs continually adding original and exclusive programming, Crackle Plus adds the below titles alongside originals and exclusives already available including Crown Vic, The Clearing, On Point, Going From Broke, ’85: The Greatest Team in Football History, and Cleanin’ Up the Town. As part of Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Crackle Plus uniquely sources its original content from sister companies Screen Media, a leading content distribution company, and Landmark Studio Group, a producer of premium scripted and unscripted content.

“Since introducing Crackle Plus one year ago, we have made incredible strides to become a leading AVOD platform when it comes to original programming,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus. “Our unprecedented growth is driven by programming that engages audiences and provides exciting opportunities for advertising partners.” 

Crackle Plus has doubled its content offerings since May 2019 and experienced approximately 40% audience growth since it began to introduce original and exclusive programming in October of 2019. At NewFronts, Crackle Plus will share its plans to develop and produce new and returning original series and feature films  as outlined below.

Unscripted and documentary series

Based on the success of recent Crackle originals, including season one of Going From Broke, ground-breaking docu-series Yelawolf: A Slumerican Life and the Ghostbuster documentary Cleanin’ Up The Town, Crackle Plus returns with a slate of new exciting and diverse unscripted shows and documentaries, including:

Going From Broke (season two), executive produced by Ashton Kutcher
History of Gangster Rap from Soren Baker and produced by Jorge Hinojosa
World’s Smartest Homes starring Emmy-nominated Tanya Memme

Sports documentaries and documentary series

Back by popular demand after the incredible success of the Crackle original basketball docu-series On Point (14 million streams) and the Crackle exclusive ‘85, The Greatest Team in Football History, sports docu-series will have a bigger role in the upcoming programming slate, including:

Road to Raceday featuring Chase Elliot, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, and Kasey Kahne
Anything is Possible starring NBA champion Serge Ibaka
Sports Confidential hosted by former Texas A&M basketball coach and CBS, NCAA announcer Christopher Walker

Scripted TV series

Following in the footsteps of Crackle original scripted TV series such as The Oath, Snatch and Startup, Crackle Plus announces four new scripted series for the coming year, including:

Spides starring Rosabell Laurenti Seller, and Falk Hentschel
Safehaven executive produced by James Seale and directed by Brad Turner 
Flagrant created by and starring Michael Rappaport
The Operative starring Craig T. Nelson

Safehaven, Flagrant, and The Operative are all produced by Crackle Plus sister company Landmark Studio Group.

Feature films

Crackle Plus also announces exclusive AVOD streaming rights to 10 premium feature films, including:

Grand Isle starring Nicolas Cage
Corporate Animals starring Demi Moore and Ed Helms
Robert the Bruce starring Angus Mcfadyen
Blood and Money starring Tom Berenger
Exit Plan starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
The Jesus Rolls starring John Turturro, Susan Sarandon, and Jon Hamm
Elliot: The Littlest Reindeer featuring the voices of Martin Short, John Cleese, and Josh Hutcherson
A Reindeer’s Journey voiced by Donald Sutherland
Portals starring Deanna Russo and Neill Hopkins
The Sonata starring Rutger Hauer and Freya Tingley

In addition, Crackle Plus will have exclusive AVOD streaming rights to two movies produced by sister company Landmark Studio Group:

Willy’s Wonderland
Nicolas Cage stars as a quiet drifter who is tricked into a job at a condemned theme park. His mundane tasks suddenly become an all-out fight for survival against wave after wave of demonic animatronics.

Trigger Point
A series of action films around Nicolas Brazer, a retired U.S. special operative who worked in the darkest shadows of the government as part of an elite “invisible” team that quietly took out some of the most dangerous  enemies  of the  U.S.. He is reluctantly drawn back into this world with both enemies and nefarious friends coming after him.

Crackle is available in the U.S. and can be accessed on 25 devices and services including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and XBoxOne), on iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com. After its recent launch on PLEX, Crackle Plus also announced today that its networks will soon be coming to Xfinity Flex and FuboTV. 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) 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.    

ABOUT CRACKLE PLUS
Crackle Plus owns and operates ad-supported VOD networks Crackle and Popcornflix and garners 50 million streams of its movies and TV shows per month, making it one of the largest AVOD streaming platforms in the U.S. Crackle Plus has over 78,000 hours of content available across all its networks, and premieres at least one original and one exclusive program each month, differentiating it from other AVODs. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE) owns a majority stake in the company formed with Sony Pictures Television. Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment 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.

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 U.S. 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.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 
This press release includes forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks (including those set forth in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 30, 2020 and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, filed with the Securities Exchange Commission on May 14, 2020) and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from the forward-looking statements. The company expressly disclaims any obligations 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. Investors should realize that if our underlying assumptions for the projections contained herein prove inaccurate or that known or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from our expectations and projections.

INVESTOR RELATIONS
Taylor Krafchik
Ellipsis
csse@ellipsisir.com
(646) 776-0886

MEDIA CONTACT
Kate Barrette
RooneyPartners LLC
kbarrette@rooneyco.com  
(212) 223-0561 

FAQ

What new programming is Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (CSSE) launching for Crackle Plus?

CSSE is launching up to 200 hours of new original programming for Crackle Plus, including returning series like 'Going From Broke' and new documentaries.

How has Crackle Plus performed in terms of audience growth?

Crackle Plus has experienced approximately 40% audience growth since it began introducing original programming in October 2019.

What notable stars are featured in the new movies on Crackle Plus?

The new movies on Crackle Plus feature stars like Nicolas Cage, Demi Moore, and Tom Berenger.

What types of series will Crackle Plus introduce in its upcoming programming slate?

Crackle Plus will introduce unscripted series, sports documentaries, and new scripted TV series in its upcoming programming.