SANTA MONICA, Calif. & NEW YORK -- Feb. 26, 2004 -- Lions Gate Entertainment, the premier independent filmed entertainment studio, and Marvel Enterprises, Inc. announced today that Lions Gate has been granted licenses to develop, produce and distribute theatrical film releases based upon two popular Marvel(R) properties -- Iron Fist(R) and Black Widow(R). The announcement was made by Lions Gate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer and Avi Arad, Chairman and CEO, Marvel Studios.
The new agreements expand the pre-existing relationship between Marvel and Artisan Entertainment, acquired by Lions Gate in December 2003, which allowed Artisan to produce and distribute feature films based upon The Punisher(R) character. Marvel and Lions Gate will share equally in certain revenues derived from the properties, with Lions Gate funding development, production and distribution. Marvel will be handling all merchandising in connection with the films.
The new pact comes as both companies prepare for the highly anticipated theatrical debut of "The Punisher," the first release stemming from the original alliance. Starring Thomas Jane, John Travolta and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, the film will be released nationwide on April 16. Plans for a sequel have already been finalized and development has begun.
Iron Fist has been a major force in the Marvel Universe for 30 years, combining the action and adventure of a Marvel Super Hero(R) with the skill and grace of a martial artist. Raised by monks in the hidden mountain city of K'un L'un, young Danny Rand was taught the ancient technique of the Iron Fist, which grants its users the power to level a building with a single blow and gives them complete control over their mind, body and spirit. Returning to America as an adult, Iron Fist uses his amazing abilities to help those in need while, at the same time, seeking to avenge the murder of his parents.
One of Marvel's most prominent female characters, the Black Widow has been thrilling readers with her adventures for 40 years. Trained by the KGB to be the Soviet Union's premier spy, Natasha Romanov found herself a woman without a cause or a country to serve when the Berlin Wall came down. International intrigue and suspense meet the hi-tech gadgetry and spectacle that can only be found in Marvel Comics as the Black Widow tries to find her place in a world without borders.
"Working with Lions Gate on 'The Punisher' was a great experience and we feel very comfortable expanding this relationship to include two more exciting franchises," commented Arad. "We are already starting on 'The Punisher II', which will become the fifth Marvel property to become a sequel."
"We like to create alliances with companies that have powerful brands, and Marvel has one of the most popular, exciting and recognized brands in the world," said Lions Gate Chief Executive Officer Jon Feltheimer. "We believe that the nationwide launch of 'The Punisher' and access to two more cutting-edge Marvel characters will kick off a long-term relationship between Lions Gate and Marvel that is rich with opportunity across all of our core businesses."
Marvel Enterprises, Inc. is a leading global character-based entertainment licensing company, with the world's largest character library of more than 4,700 properties, which have entertained generations for over 60 years. Principally focused on licensing, Marvel has talented creative teams in its Consumer Products (licensing), Marvel Studios, Marvel Comics and Toy Biz divisions. These divisions support the development of a broad range of entertainment (film/television/DVD), consumer products, toys, comics/trade paperbacks and promotions based on the Marvel characters. Visit http://www.marvel.com for more information.
Lions Gate Entertainment is the leading diversified independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of more than 8,000 titles is one of the largest in the entertainment industry and the biggest in the indie world. The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe. For further information on Lions Gate, visit www.lionsgatefilms.com.
MARVEL, The Punisher, Black Widow, Iron fist, and all related Marvel characters are copyright and trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission. Copyright (C) 2004 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marvel.com.
Super Hero(es) is a co-owned registered trademark.
(C) 2004 Film & Entertainment VIP Medienfonds 2 GmbH & Co. KG, Film & Entertainment VIP Medienfonds 3 GmbH & Co. KG, and Artisan GmbH. All Rights Reserved.
