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

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2016-09-13</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001567530</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Crawford Gordon</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>LIONSGATE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>2700 COLORADO AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANTA MONICA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90404</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></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>2016-09-13</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2443</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>297463</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Annual director award of restricted share units.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Amount includes the following restricted share units granted by the Issuer, payable upon vesting in an equal number of common shares of the Issuer: (i) 2,443 restricted share units that are scheduled to vest in three equal annual installments beginning September 13, 2017; (ii) 507 restricted share units that are scheduled to vest on September 9, 2017; and (iii) 865 restricted share units that are scheduled to vest in two equal annual installments beginning September 15, 2017.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Gordon Crawford (By Adrian Kuzycz by Power of Attorney)</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2016-09-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
