Lions Gate completes purchase of Englewood-based Starz

DENVER -- Film and TV studio Lions Gate announced Friday that it has completed the purchase of cable channel Starz in a deal worth $4.4 billion.

Lions Gate is the company behind "The Hunger Games" movies and the "Orange Is The New Black" TV series. Englewood-based Starz runs its namesake cable channels. Together, Lions Gate says it will tap its library of movies and TV shows and air them through Starz's channels.

Santa Monica, California-based Lions Gate will pay holders of Starz Series A stock $18 in cash and 0.6784 of a Lions Gate share. Starz Series B stockholders will receive $7.26 in cash and 1.2642 of Lions Gate stock.