The SCI FI Channel is premiering the original two-part, four-hour hour fantasy/adventure miniseries, DARK KINGDOM: THE DRAGON KING, with Part I on March 27, 2006, and Part II on March 28 at 9:00 pm. Based upon the epic tale that inspired J.R.R. Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS, the miniseries rebroadcasts Part I on March 28 at 6:57 p.m. and Part II the same night at 11:00 p.m., as well as on March 29 at 1:00 am and 7:00 pm
DARK KINGDOM: THE DRAGON KING features a stellar cast, including Julian Sands (LEAVING LAS VEGAS, A ROOM WITH A VIEW), Kristanna Loken (TERMINATOR 3: RISE OF THE MACHINES), Alicia Witt (THE UPSIDE OF ANGER, VANILLA SKY), Samuel West (VAN HELSING, IRIS), Robert Pattinson (HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE) and Max Von Sydow (THE EXORCIST).
DARK KINGDOM is a dramatic re-telling of a German myth (the Nibelungen saga which J.R.R. Tolkien said was the inspiration for his LORD OF THE RINGS). In the action/adventure, fantasy love story, Eric (Benno Furmann) is a young blacksmith who is unaware that his true identity is actually that of Siegfried, the orphaned heir to a conquered kingdom. A comet impacts the earth, setting off a chain of events that puts Eric on the path to his true destiny, starting with a chance encounter with his true love, the Norse warrior Queen Brunhild (Loken). He becomes a hero to the Burgunds after he slays the much-feared dragon, Fafnir, and is rewarded the treasure of the Nibelungs the beast had long protected. Eric ignores warnings of a curse placed on the treasure, which ultimately endangers his love for Brunhild and the reclaiming of his birthright.
Exec producers were Tim Halkin and Andreas Grosch; producers were Rola Bauer and Andreas Schmid. The miniseries was written by Diane Duane, Peter Morwood and Uli Edel and directed by Uli Edel.
Volker Engel and Marc Weigert were the vfx directors while Stacey Weigert was vfx assoc. producer. Uncharted Territory GmbH handled the visual effects and animation.
One of the largest independent films ever shot in South Africa, digital artists recreated European castles and interiors set in the dark ages, combined with stunning events and a full CGI dragon. The cast often worked in a warehouse on bluescreen. Engers crew was challenged to make 600 vfx shots. This included creating a full virtual environment of Iceland.
Enger wanted a dragon that looked more prehistoric, like a dinosaur, instead of resembling a Chinese fantasy dragon. They tried to create one that could have existed in nature, closer to a dinosaur with skin that was a mixture from lizards, crocodiles, alligators and elephant skins according to Engel.
The dragon was animated, shot by shot. For hand camera, steadicam or dolly shorts, we add a 3-D move, said Engel. So, we first create extensions of the set, or the complete set. The process, from the design to when you see Fafnir walked in the sequence takes about a year.
The film was licensed exclusively to SCI FI for broadcast in the U.S. via Debmar-Mercury and its principals Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein.
"DARK KINGDOM is action-packed, visually stunning film with an epic love story at its heart," said Thomas Vitale, SCI FI Channel's svp of programming and original movies. "The scope and scale of this fantastical miniseries makes it one of the highlights of our channel's 2006 programming slate."
DARK KINGDOM was the #1 rated TV film in Germany last year, according to Bernstein. "We are thrilled that SCI FI seized the opportunity to present this incredible production to its sizable audience. Tandem spared no expense in bringing the rich fantasy world of DARK KINGDOM vividly to life in high-definition," said Marcus.
DARK KINGDOM: THE DRAGON KING is a Tandem Communications/VIP Medienfonds 2/VIP Medienfonds 3 Production in association with Channel 4, Sat.1 Television and Uncharted Territory, a German/South African/UK/Italian co-production with Castlering Pictures (Pty.) Ltd., The Ring (U.K.) Ltd. and Octave s.r.l.
Debmar-Mercury is a worldwide production and distribution media company specializing in network, cable, syndication, VOD/Pay-Per-View and Pay TV. Debmar-Mercury owns the distribution rights to the country's fastest growing off-net sitcom, SOUTH PARK, and an extensive movie library featuring titles from Revolution Studios. The company also licenses the Sci-Fi Channel's hit series, FARSCAPE, USA Network's THE DEAD ZONE, Lionsgate films and National Geographic's REALLY WILD ANIMALS.
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic website (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 85 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
