Film production company Lionsgate announced that principal photography began June 10 on The Shack in Vancouver, Canada. Based on the best-selling book of the same name by William P. Young (Windblown Media/Hachette Book Group), The Shack will be released by Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label.

Carpentree is releasing 18 new products with scripture and quotes from the Kendrick Brothers’ new film, War Room, releasing Aug. 28. Sony Pictures Entertainment’s TriStar Pictures, distributor of Soul Surfer, Courageous and Heaven Is for Real, will release the PG-rated film. War Room explores the power that prayer can have on marriages, parenting, careers, friendships and every other area of life. 

Carpentree’s new line offers several ways to encourage and remind people that God does amazing things when His people pray. The line is anchored with a recognizable wall hanging featured in the film entitled “Answered Prayers.” This piece allows people to write in and record their answered prayers just as Miss Clara (Karen Abercrombie) does in the movie.

Send The Light Distribution (STL) has moved its warehouse in Elizabethton, Tennessee, to a new location in Bristol, Tennessee. STL transferred all content from the old warehouse to the new one Memorial Day weekend. The move required 205 tractor-trailer loads of 1.25 million units (65,000 SKUs) plus shelving, as well as additional truckloads of office furniture, records and IT equipment.

Company President Glenn Bailey said STL had a good reason to make the move.

Thomas Nelson has announced an exclusive partnership with Passion Publishing, part of the Passion movement led by Louie Giglio. The venture will include multiple trade releases through the W Publishing Group imprint from Louie Giglio and others from the Passion family, as well as curriculum, gift and Bible products. 

“We couldn’t be more excited about this new publishing partnership with some of the finest people in the book space,” Giglio said. “W Publishing Group and Thomas Nelson have extraordinary potential to help us in our continuing mission to make Jesus famous in this generation.”

Catholic publishers and other suppliers are firming up their special offers for the inaugural Catholic Store Month (catholicstoremonth.com), which begins July 1 and runs for the month of July.

“Ignatius Press recognizes the urgent need to help Catholic stores compete in the wider retail marketplace,” said Anthony Ryan, marketing director at Ignatius. “Physical retail stores are vital to the free exchange of Catholic ideas.”

Owners Steve and Janelle Pickering are closing the Parable Lemstone Christian Store of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, after a quarter-century of service.

The store opened in a mall location in June 1989 as the 31st Lemstone franchise out of 73 locations.

Spending for dad this Father’s Day is expected to reach $12.7 billion, according to the National Retail Federation’s 2015 Father’s Day Spending Survey. The average person will spend $115.57 on gifts, nearly even with last year’s $113.80, according to NRF’s survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey found that 75.4 percent of Americans said they plan to celebrate Father’s Day.

“After a less than stellar first half of the year, retailers are ready to welcome the warm weather and the millions of shoppers (who) come along with it and kick off the summer spending season just in time for Father’s Day,” said NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay. “Spending on grilling and patio necessities, pool gear, sporting goods, apparel and other gift and seasonal merchandise could be the positive stepping stone retailers need heading into the second half of the year.”