Sundance: CNN Films, Lionsgate Acquire 'Dinosaur 13' Doc

In one of the first deals at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, CNN Films and Lionsgate have acquired the North American rights to documentary Dinosaur 13.

Following its theatrical run via Lionsgate, the film will air on CNN under its newly-establishedCNN Films Presents brand for acquired films in the second half of 2014.

From filmmaker Todd Miller, Dinosaur 13 follows paleontologist Peter Larson of South Dakota’s Black Hills Institute of Geological Research after finding a nearly intact 65 million year-old fossilized skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex, which was named “Sue.”

“As CNN Films passes the milestone of its first year, returning to Sundance underscores the strength of our commitment to bringing high quality documentary features to our platforms,” said Jeff Zucker, president of CNN Worldwide.  “Our acquisition of Dinosaur 13 is a great way for us to kick off the Festival this year, and we think our audience is going to love learning the incredible story of Sue.”