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Two Witchblade Films To Be Filmed in 2006

Relativity Media, IDG Films, Platinum Studios and Arclight Films have announced that they have arranged financing to bring the Top Cow Prods.' WITCHBLADE comicbook to the big screen. Production will begin in 2006 on two feature films, to be shot back-to-back, based on the best-selling action/fantasy comicbook, which also earned a loyal following as a TNT television series.

WITCHBLADE will be produced through IDG Films, Relativity Media and Platinum Studios, in association with Top Cow Prods.; Arclight Films will handle foreign sales. Producers are Relativity principals Ryan Kavanaugh and Lynwood Spinks, Platinum Studios chairman Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and IDG Films general partners Steven Squillante and David Lee. Exec producing is Top Cow founder Marc Silvestri and Arclight Films' Gary Hamilton and Harrison Kordestani. Co-producers are Top Cow president Matt Hawkins and Platinum execs Jay Burns and Aaron Severson. Attorney Steve Saltzman negotiated on behalf of IDG Films.

WITCHBLADE follows the story of a detective who comes into possession of a mystical and powerful weapon that she uses to fight crime and evil.

"We are obviously very excited about this project," stated Kavanaugh. "The large and loyal fan base that exists for WITCHBLADE, both in the U.S. and worldwide, is a tremendous platform upon which to expand its popularity to film. We look forward to the opportunity of working with IDG, Platinum and Top Cow to make it happen."

"IDG Films is pleased and excited to be in business with Ryan and Scott on a property as significant as WITCHBLADE. Bringing this type of production to China will help to showcase China as a major producer of content for worldwide consumption," said Lee.

"We know that shooting a movie and its sequel back-to-back is rare, but WITCHBLADE is in good company," added Rosenberg. "Look at LORD OF THE RINGS, THE MATRIX or, more recently, PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN 2 and 3. When you have a property that you have a lot of faith in, it can really pay off."

"We are extremely pleased that Platinum Studios, IDG Films and Relativity are bringing WITCHBLADE to the big screen twice! We know they will do a remarkable job," said Silvestri. "Top Cow is the most successful independent comics publisher in the past ten years, landing the only original properties of any comic book publisher (not spin-offs or licenses) at the number one position in the sales charts."

Platinum Studios holds the exclusive rights to develop Top Cow's extensive library of comicbook characters for film and television. Platinum Studios continues expanding upon its huge slate of comic-to-film related projects. A number of Platinum Studios' and Top Cow's comic books are set up at most of the major studios, including MEET THE HAUNTEDS at NBC/Universal, COWBOYS & ALIENS at Sony, UNIQUE at Disney, MAL CHANCE and THE DARKNESS at Miramax, WANTED at Universal, INFERNO at Warner Bros., RISING STARS at MGM and FATHOM at Fox, as well as a multi-picture pact with financier Gold Circle.

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Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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