USA picks up 'Game Plan'

Network buys exclusive broadcast rights

By JOHN DEMPSEY

USA has bought Disney family comedy 'The Game Plan' and will start airing it in October 2009.

USA Network has bought the exclusive basic-cable window to hit Disney family comedy "The Game Plan," with Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson, along with three other titles it will share with different cable nets, for a total license fee of about $12 million.

"Game Plan" has grossed $88.5 million in U.S. theaters since its Sept. 28 release. USA will be able to start scheduling it in October 2009.

The three other titles, which USA won't get until early in the next decade, are the family action comedy "Underdog" plus 2003 comedy "My Boss' Daughter," with Ashton Kutcher; and 2002 CIA comedy-thriller "Bad Company," with Chris Rock and Anthony Hopkins.

Two months ago, USA bought the cable rights to New Line's "Hairspray" for about $13 million.

USA buys movies selectively because it doesn't need as many as some other general-entertainment nets for two prominent reasons: USA has a number of hit series, including "Monk," "Psych," and "Burn Notice," and it has just signed a multiyear renewal of its bellwether two-hour Monday-night series "Raw," from World Wrestling Entertainment.