Lions Gate Entertainment Cuts 45

Santa Monica, California-based movie and television studio Lions Gate Entertainment has slashed jobs for the second time in five months.

The studio is eliminating 45 positions, or 8% of its 550-person workforce.

The cuts included 27 people laid off Friday, and 10 who were moved into independent contractor consulting jobs and production deals. Eight open positions will not be filled.

The cuts follow the elimination of 41 jobs in early November.

Lions Gate is hoping that its latest release, “The Haunting in Connecticut,” a supernatural thriller that came out this weekend, will continue the studio’s recent winning streak at the box office.