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November 2005
Blade Casting News

Blade Casting Update

SPIKE TV'S FIRST SCRIPTED DRAMA "BLADE," BASED ON MARVEL’S CULT SUPER HERO, BEGINS PRODUCTION IN VANCOUVER NOVEMBER 14; SERIES TO BE PRODUCED BY NEW LINE TELEVISION

Celebrated Screenplay Writer David Goyer And Acclaimed Comic Book Author Geoff Johns Wrote Script; Peter O’Fallon To Direct

New York, NY, November 9, 2005 – Spike TV and New Line Television have signed Kirk "Sticky" Jones (Over There) to star in "Blade," based on the popular Marvel comic book and film franchise of the same name. David Goyer (Batman Begins, the Blade trilogy) will serve as executive producer and co-wrote the drama with popular comic book author Geoff Johns. Peter O'Fallon (Suicide Kings, Eureka, American Gothic) is set to direct.

Production begins November 14 in Vancouver. “Blade” will premiere on Spike TV in June 2006. Jill Wagner (“Monk”), Neil Jackson (“Stargate SG-1”), Nelson Lee (“Traffic,” the TV mini-series) and Jessica Gower (“Blurred”) also are signed to star in the production.

“‘Blade,’ as envisioned by David Goyer is perfectly suited for Spike TV and its male viewers,” says Pancho Mansfield, Executive Vice President, Original Programming at Spike TV. “Consistent with Goyer’s feature film work, the new “Blade” promises to capture what men want to see: thrilling action and effects combined with an intelligent and highly creative story.”

Kirk Jones first became widely known as “Sticky Fingaz,” the front man for the hip hop group Onyx. He later appeared and starred in a number of feature films including “Clockers,” “Dead Presidents” and “Flight of the Phoenix.” Most recently, Jones appeared regularly on FX’s “Over There” and “The Shield.”

Spike TV’s “Blade” focuses on Marvel’s eponymous immortal warrior fighting a shadowy underworld of vampires who want to destroy the human race. The title character is a half-man, half-vampire who his incredible powers and skills to fearlessly battle the demonic creatures of the night in a blood-drenched crusade to prevent the ascendance of vampires over mankind.

Bill McGoldrick, Vice President, Original Programming and Lisa Ullmann, Director of Original Programming, are executives responsible for production at Spike TV. Avi Arad, President and CEO of Marvel Studios, Ari Arad, Executive Vice President, Marvel Studios, Jim Rosenthal and Jon Kroll of New Line Television will serve as executive producers.

New Line Television is a division of New Line Cinema (www.newline.com), the most successful independent film company in the world. The division develops, produces and distributes TV projects for the broadcast networks, cable and first-run syndication, as well as distributes New Line feature films across the television landscape. In addition to the production, marketing and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, New Line Cinema has divisions devoted to home entertainment, music, theater, merchandising and international. A pioneer in franchise filmmaking, New Line's Oscar-winning The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of the most successful film franchises in history. New Line is a division of Time Warner, Inc.

Spike TV is available in 88 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. MTV Networks, a division of Viacom International Inc. (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B).

With a library of over 5,000 characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. - formerly known as Marvel Enterprises, Inc. - is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused on utilizing its character franchises in licensing, entertainment, publishing and toys. Areas of emphasis include feature films, DVD/home video, consumer products, video games, action figures and role-playing toys, television and promotions. Rooted in the creative success of over sixty years of comic book publishing, Marvel's strategy is to leverage its character franchises in a growing array of opportunities around the world.


 

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