Back by Popular Demand – Corner Gas: The Movie Returns to Select Cineplex, Landmark and Independent Theatres December 12 – 14

TORONTO (December 10, 2014) – Dog River is back on the big screen! Prairie Pants Distribution is proud to announce that due to popular demand Corner Gas: The Movie will receive an extended in-theatre run this weekend. The Cineplex Front Row Centre Event returns to 38 Cineplex, Landmark, and independent theatres in select markets across Canada from Friday, December 12 to Sunday, December 14. (Tickets on sale December 12. Go to cornergasthemovie.com to purchase tickets or check local listings). The announcement comes as Corner Gas: The Movie continues a special TV sneak peek on The Movie Network (TMN) that began Monday, and in advance of its CraveTV debut this Thursday, Dec. 11.

“Today’s announcement speaks to the innovative distribution model for Corner Gas: The Movie and the success of event cinema,” said Virginia Thompson, Executive Producer. “Following the successful five-day theatrical launch event, the film will now feature encore performances in cinemas while on subscription TV and streaming.”

Last week, Canadians renewed their love affair with the gang from Dog River, as audiences filled theatres across the country to see Corner Gas: The Movie. Released on 101 screens nationwide, preliminary data from the Cineplex Front Row Centre Events’ theatrical debut reports nearly 60,000 moviegoers during the five-day engagement, from December 3 to 7.

With many shows sold out, the interactive in-cinema event attracted lively audiences across Canada who sang en masse to the CORNER GAS theme song and to a rendition of “O Canada” performed by award-winning singer-songwriter, Del Barber, and his band The Profiteers. Fans remained in their seats for the duration of the special closing-credit sequence, and regaled the film with applause and standing ovations.

“We were able to work with the producers of CORNER GAS, to provide a unique out-of-home experience, which has generated some of the biggest weekend box-office numbers of the year for a Canadian movie,” said Michael Kennedy, Executive Vice President, Filmed Entertainment, Film Buying for Cineplex Entertainment. “Audiences truly loved sharing the experience of this movie in our theatres!”

“Audience response has been truly incredible – beyond what we had hoped,” said Creator/Star/Writer and Executive Producer Brent Butt. “There were reports of sold-out theatres from all across the country, and night after night we were overwhelmed by the support and positive messages from fans. We are truly and honestly gob-smacked.”

For one last weekend, moviegoers will be treated to a CORNER GAS experience exclusive to cinemas, which includes a CORNER GAS warm-up show, hosted by Brent Butt and produced by the Executive Producers of CORNER GAS. The 20-minute warm-up show is packed with CORNER GAS fun facts, games, quizzes, random giveaways, and footage from the Canada- wide CORNER GAS Sing-A-Long, and lots of laughs.

Also exclusive to moviegoers is the film’s closing credit sequence. In addition to bloopers and out-takes from the making-of the film, the closing credits include footage of hundreds of fans across the country singing the CORNER GAS theme song “Not A Lot Goin’ On”, and crowds dancing and singing in the streets of “Dog River” led by CORNER GAS song-writer Craig Northey and two of its stars, Brent Butt and Fred Ewanuick.

Corner Gas: The Movie is currently airing on The Movie Network (and its multiplex channels) another 14 times before ending its run on Dec. 13. Following its TMN sneak preview and this weekend’s theatrical release, Corner Gas: The Movie makes its super-simulcast network premiere on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV, CTV Two, and CTV GO, and debuts Monday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on The Comedy Network. Corner Gas: The Movie will also be the first Canadian program to receive a first-look screening on Bell Media’s CraveTV when the premium subscription TV streaming service launches Thursday, Dec. 11. A special collector’s edition DVD and Blu-ray will be released prior to the holidays.

Headlined by creator and comedian Brent Butt, Corner Gas: The Movie stars the original award-winning ensemble cast including Gabrielle Miller, Eric Peterson, Fred Ewanuick, Janet Wright, Lorne Cardinal, Tara Spencer-Nairn, and Nancy Robertson. Written by Brent Butt, Andrew Carr, and Andrew Wreggitt, and directed by David Storey, who served as key director on the series, the movie was shot in Saskatchewan last summer.

Corner Gas: The Movie is an inter-provincial co-production produced by Corner Gas The Movie (ON) Inc. and Corner Gas The Movie (SK) Inc. in association with Bell Media, Telefilm Canada, Cineplex Entertainment, Tourism Saskatchewan, Creative Saskatchewan, the Canada Media Fund, the Bell Fund, Cogeco and Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. CORNER GAS is distributed worldwide by Prairie Pants Distribution. The Collectors DVD will be distributed across Canada by Video Services Corp. (VSC).

About Prairie Pants Distribution

Prairie Pants Distribution Inc. is the worldwide distributor of Corner Gas: The Movie. The company is owned and operated by CORNER GAS Executive Producers Virginia Thompson (Vérité Films: CORNER GAS, INSECURITY, RENEGADEPRESS.COM and INCREDIBLE STORY STUDIO), Brent Butt (Sparrow Media: CORNER GAS, HICCUPS and NO CLUE) and David Storey (Aslan Entertainment: CORNER GAS, HICCUPS and KEEP YOUR HEAD UP KID: THE DON CHERRY STORY, BLACKFLY).

About Telefilm Canada

Telefilm is dedicated to the cultural, commercial and industrial success of Canada’s audiovisual industry. Through its various funding and promotion programs, Telefilm supports dynamic companies and creative talent here at home and around the world. Telefilm also administers the programs of the Canada Media Fund. Visit telefilm.ca and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/telefilm_canada or on Facebook at facebook.com/telefilmcanada.

About Cineplex Front Row Centre Events

Brought to you by Cineplex Entertainment, Front Row Centre Events bring world-class entertainment to local Cineplex Entertainment theatres and other participating locations. Presented in high-definition with digital surround sound, guests can experience the best in original one-night only and series-based programming. With the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD series, Broadway productions, live broadcasts direct from the stage of London’s National Theatre, dance performances, classic films, concerts, live sporting events and documentaries, Front Row Centre Events put guests in the centre of the action on the big screen. Front Row Centre Events also serves as a Canadian distributor for select genre titles. Visit www.cineplex.com for more information.

About Bell Media

With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada’s premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada’s #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada’s most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada’s largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada’s most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with premium subscription on-demand streaming service CraveTV, as well as its innovative GO video streaming services including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital startup Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

About Video Services Corp.

Founded in 1993 by former rock critic Jonathan Gross, Video Services Corp. (VSC) is a leading independent all-platform film distributor with offices in Toronto and Los Angeles. VSC’s DVD catalogue includes “Corner Gas,” Sharknado, “Comedy Now! Starring Russell Peters” and “Spectacle: Elvis Costello With….” Recent theatrical releases include Union Square, with Oscar® winner Mira Sorvino, Alan Partridge, starring Steve Coogan, and the Israeli horror sensation Big Bad Wolves. VSC has an eclectic 2014 slate that features Cannes Selection Life Itself, TIFF Midnight Madness People’s Choice Award Winner What We Do In The Shadows, Sundance Festival favourite White Bird In A Blizzard, and the horror film ABCs of Death 2. VSC is also restoring the historic 1984 Canada Cup o DVD in late 2014. For more information visit www.videoservicescorp.com.