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TNT, DreamWorks TV & Spielberg Team on The Talisman Six-hour Series

After a successful collaboration on the critically acclaimed INTO THE WEST, TNT is teaming once again with DreamWorks Television and exec producer Steven Spielberg for an epic, six-hour adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub's mystical adventure, THE TALISMAN. The limited series about a boy on quest through parallel worlds is slated to premiere on TNT in summer 2008

King is a popular territory for TNT, after such high-profile projects as SALEM'S LOT, one of cable's most popular movies of 2004, and this year's NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: FROM THE STORIES OF STEPHEN KING. Kathleen Kennedy will join Spielberg in exec producing THE TALISMAN, along with Ehren Kruger (SKELETON KEY, THE RING, ARLINGTON ROAD and is adapting NIGHTLINE for DreamWorks Features), who will adapt the novel. THE TALISMAN will be co-exec produced by Darryl Frank (INTO THE WEST, TAKEN) and Justin Falvey (INTO THE WEST, LAS VEGAS), who head up DreamWorks Television. THE TALISMAN is slated to premiere on TNT in summer 2008.

"We are so happy and proud to be working with DreamWorks Television and Steven Spielberg after such a tremendous experience making INTO THE WEST," said Michael Wright, svp of original programming for TNT and TBS. "We've also had excellent results working with Stephen King's material on SALEM'S LOT and NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES, so the opportunity to bring these talents together on our network is just about as good as it gets. Like those previous projects, THE TALISMAN is a truly epic production, but one that will present all new challenges and opportunities."

Written in 1984, THE TALISMAN is the first collaboration between bestselling authors King and Straub. It relates the story of Jack Sawyer, a boy who goes on a quest through this world and through a parallel world known as "The Territories," experiencing both good and evil in each. He must obtain a mysterious talisman that will save his dying mother's life, as well as the life of her "twinner," the Queen of The Territories.

The producers' earlier collaboration, INTO THE WEST, an epic, all-star tale of westward expansion, was watched by more than 81 million viewers over its six-week run, earned 16 Emmy nominations, an ad-supported cable record for a limited series and more nominations than any other 2005-06 program.

TNT's previous adaptations of Stephen King works include this year's eight-part critically acclaimed limited series, NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: FROM THE STORIES OF STEPHEN KING, which featured dramatic storytelling and an all-star cast. In 2004, TNT premiered SALEM'S LOT, a four-hour production starring Rob Lowe, Donald Sutherland, James Cromwell and Andre Braugher, which also received abundant critical praise and ranked as one of ad-supported cable's top movies of the year.

DreamWorks Television is a division of DreamWorks SKG, which was founded in 1994 by Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. DreamWorks Television is in production on season four of the hit NBC series, LAS VEGAS, and in pre-production on season four of the critically acclaimed FX drama, RESCUE ME, as well as the upcoming FOX reality series, ON THE LOT. Previous DreamWorks Television projects include SPIN CITY, BAND OF BROTHERS, TAKEN, FATHER OF THE PRIDE, FREAKS AND GEEKS, THE JOB, BOOMTOWN and UNDECLARED.

Turner Network Television (TNT, www.turner.com), a division of Turner Broadcasting System Inc., is a leading TV destination for drama and one of cable's top-rated networks. It offers original movies and series, including THE CLOSER and next year's eagerly anticipated television event, THE COMPANY, exec produced by Ridley Scott and starring Chris O'Donnell, Michael Keaton and Alfred Molina. TNT is also available in high-definition.