YouTuber and 'Pitch Perfect' star Flula Borg just landed a 2-movie deal
LOS ANGELES -- Lionsgate has signed a two-movie development deal with German DJ, YouTuber and Pitch Perfect 2 star Flula Borg, Mashable has confirmed.
The self-proclaimed "accidental YouTuber" has been on the platform for the last decade, uploading videos ranging from celebrity interviews to beat boxing and other "Dope Musik." However, his long-term goal has always been -- wait for it -- acting.
Last year, he took on the big screen, playing the co-leader of rival a capella group Das Sound Machine in Pitch Perfect 2.
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More recently, he wrote and starred in BuddyMoon, which he self-funded with David Giuntoli (NBC’s Grimm) and Alex Simmons (an Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker).
He's working on another indie project — Johnny Fist — which he helped fund on Indiegogo last year.
With the Lionsgate deal, Borg will star in, executive produce and write an untitled feature film. The second film option will be executed over the next two years.
"They [Lionsgate] are believing in me, and I am believing in them, and this is a great foundation for a great partnership, like Thelma and Louise!” Borg told Variety, which first reported the news. “They are Thelma, and I am Louise! Well probably I am Thelma, because Geena Davis is a tall person, and I am also tall. Anyway, I am pumped. Time to drive off a cliff together and land in some fluffy pillows of success! Which is a metaphor for, ‘Time to make great movies with Lionsgate!'”
Lionsgate, the Santa Monica-based studio best known for its hit Hunger Games franchise, has been increasingly upping its efforts to tap into the digital space.
Already, the studio released online sensation Freddie Wong’s first original RocketJump series for Hulu, and Collective Digital Studio's film Natural Born Pranksters, starring YouTubers VitalyzdTV, Roman Atwood and Dennis Roady. It also launched Mamrie Hart, Hannah Hart and Grace Helbig's recent comedy Dirty 30.
Topics YouTube
Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
