Lionsgate Entertainment has made a deal with RocketJump Studios, a major YouTube producer.
The deal gives Lionsgate access to RocketJump's upcoming digital content, in-house talent and fan base, and RocketJump said it will use Lionsgate's development and global marketing to create more long-term projects and expand its roster of content, according to Variety.
"This partnership unites two entrepreneurial companies with similar cultures and a shared commitment to build new models for creating and delivering content to the next generation of audiences," said Jon Felthiemer, CEO of Lionsgate, in his announcement of the deal.
The digital studio's list of properties includes weekly shorts, tutorials and podcasts.
RocketJump was founded four years ago by Freddie Wong, Matt Arnold and Dez Dolly, and currently has more than 6.8 million subscribers and almost one billion views across all platforms, Rapid tv news reported.
The studio is known for its short films and the "Video Game High School" web series, which is now in its third season.
Rocketjump will stay connected to YouTube MCN Collective Digital Studios (CDS), a subsidiary of the management and production company The Collective, which is owned by Capital Private Equity Fund, Variety reported.
Lionsgate is best known for its successful franchises "Twilight," "The Hunger Games" and "Divergent".
The deal is the latest involving Hollywood studios and digital-media content creators, with Disney looking to buy Maker Studios for over $500 million, and Relative Media making an offer for the same studio on Sunday, Variety reported.
Feltheimer talked about the benefits this deal has for producing new content, Rapid tv news reported.
"Freddie Wong is one of digital media's most prolific and visionary creators, and Rocketjump is a bold and innovative platform that expands the breadth and diversity of content we can bring to our audiences and extends our storytelling abilities in exciting new directions," he said.
The deal adds to Lionsgate's digital portfolio, which includes the BeFit branded fitness YouTube channel and the Defy Media online platform, along with original programming, such as the hit TV series "Orange is the New Black" and the new comedy "Deadbeat", which is featured on Netflix and Hulu over-the-top (OTT).
