<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-12-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000929351</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>LIONS GATE ENTERTAINMENT CORP /CN/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>LGF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001233215</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GIUSTRA FRANK</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3354 RADCLIFFE AVE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WEST VANCOUVER BD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>A1</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>99999999</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Shares</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-12-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1042</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.33</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>117154</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Represents common shares withheld by the Issuer to satisfy certain tax withholding obligations upon the vesting of 4,167 restricted share units. The grant of the 4,167 restricted share units was previously reported and, pursuant to the Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. 2004 Incentive Plan and the Issuer's policies, 1,042 common shares were automatically canceled to cover certain of the reporting person's tax obligations. No common shares were sold by the Issuer or the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Amount includes 8,333 restricted share units granted by the Issuer, payable upon vesting in an equal number of common shares of the Issuer, that are scheduled to vest in two equal installments beginning December 14, 2012.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Frank Giustra (By Adrian Kuzycz by Power of Attorney)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-12-16</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
