COS COB, Conn., Sept. 17, 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 that historical action-drama Robert the Bruce will be exclusively available for free on Crackle beginning Thursday, October 1.
The film stars Angus Macfadyen as the title character and explores events in Scotland following the action seen in Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning film Braveheart where Macfadyen first played the Scottish king. Jared Harris (The Crown) co-stars as Robert the Bruce’s nemesis John Comyn, alongside Anna Hutchison (The Cabin In The Woods), Patrick Fugit (Gone Girl), Zach McGowan (Black Sails), Gabriel Bateman (American Gothic), Talitha Eliana-Bateman (Geostorm), Emma Kenney (Roseanne), Shane Coffey (Pretty Little Liars), and Kevin McNally (Pirates Of The Caribbean).
As one of the only AVODs continually adding original and exclusive programming that uplifts, entertains, and inspires audiences, Crackle adds Robert the Bruce alongside original and exclusive titles, including Spides, Corporate Animals, Anything Is Possible - The Serge Ibaka Story, Cleanin’ Up the Town: Remembering Ghostbusters, The Clearing, and Going From Broke, recently picked up for a second season.
Robert the Bruce is distributed in the United States by Screen Media, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment company, and the supplier of exclusive and original content for Crackle Plus.
“This Crackle AVOD Premiere of Robert The Bruce is the perfect example of how our close relationship with our sister company, Screen Media, is fast-tracking our ability to offer recent premium content to our audience,” said Philippe Guelton, president of Crackle Plus.
In 14th century Scotland, King Robert the Bruce finds himself abandoned, wounded and on the run from the English army. Suffering a disastrous defeat, he takes shelter with a former soldier’s wife (Hutchison) and her children who save his life and nurse him back to health. He becomes a part of their family, and they become the first soldiers in his new army as he sets out to claim the long-awaited freedom of Scotland.
Directed by Richard Gray, Macfadyen produced and co-wrote the film with Eric Belgau. “This year marks the 25th anniversary of Braveheart,” said Macfadyen. “It’s been pretty special to reprise the role in Robert the Bruce bringing such a powerful story to life, and Crackle’s audience will see some deeper motivations and new insights into this historical character.”
“The inspiring story told in Robert the Bruce is more personal,” said Gray. “Viewers will see how Robert learns more about who he is and what he is fighting for.”
“The real-world account of Robert the Bruce freeing Scotland from British rule details one of the most dramatic events in history, and this epic story is made all the more exciting by the elevated scale and level of filmmaking involved in the production,” said Richard De Croce, senior vice president of programming for Crackle Plus.
Crackle is available in the U.S. and can be accessed on 26 devices and services including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, Vizio), gaming consoles (PS4 and XBoxOne), Plex, iOS and Android mobile devices and on desktops at Crackle.com. 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 is a video-on-demand (VOD) joint venture formed by Sony Pictures Television and Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: CSSE). The company’s consumer facing ad-supported VOD (AVOD) channels include Crackle (US and Canada), Popcornflix, Popcornflix Kids, Truli, Popcornflix Comedy, Frightpix, and Espanolflix. It also owns subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platform Pivotshare. Crackle Plus reaches over 40 million monthly visitors making it one of the largest AVOD streaming platforms in the U.S. Its content library includes over 79,000 hours of programming.
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 US 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 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