"Crusade" is Confirmed |
Following is the press announcement from April 1998 confirming the deal for the follow-on series, "Crusade", as well as the second pair of TV movies. You might also like to see the press release confirming TNT's initial deal to rescreen B5 and to commission season 5 & the first 2 TV movies.
Babylonian Productions Creates New Series and Two New Made-For-Television
Movies For TNT
NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Netter Digital
Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: NETT) (Netter) in association with J. Michael
Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd., announced today that Babylonian
Productions will produce an all-new original series for Turner Network
Television (TNT) called "CRUSADE" and has started production on the third
Babylon 5 original full-length movie, "Babylon 5: The River of Souls," for
TNT.
"We've spent the last five years building one of the most complex and
carefully thought-out science fiction universes in TV history," explains
'CRUSADE' creator J. Michael Straczynski, and creator/executive producer of
the Hugo and Emmy award-winning series Babylon 5. "For most of that time,
we've been confined to the Babylon 5 station. Now, in 'CRUSADE,' we will
have the unique opportunity to go out and explore that universe in
considerably more detail, seeing strange new places and encountering
ancient, forgotten cities which hold secrets that may mean life or death
for Earth. There are million-year old vaults, opened at last; and new
races making first contact with humans in addition to explorations of the
dozens of worlds established in the Babylon 5 universe."
In "CRUSADE," the threat of the Shadows gone, all is quiet on Earth - too
quiet. An alien race vows revenge for the loss of the Shadows and aims its
wrath at humans, unleashing a deadly biogenetic plague. Only five years
remain for the inhabitants of Earth unless an Alliance ship, the Excalibur,
succeeds in its quest to find a cure for the mutating plague.
"CRUSADE" launches with the spectacular two-hour TNT original film "A Call
To Arms." In addition, an ancient vault filled with relics believed to
hold the secret to eternal life is the centerpiece of the previously
announced two-hour film, "Babylon 5: The River of Souls." Martin Sheen
("The American President," "Apocalypse Now"), Ian McShane and series stars
Tracy Scoggins, Jerry Doyle, Richard Biggs and Jeff Conaway will headline
TNT's third Babylon 5 full-length movie.
"'River of Souls' and 'A Call to Arms' both help to set the tone for this
new series by presenting first takes on a new form of science fiction for
television: archaeological SF, in which ancient secrets have an impact on
current situations, and a more action-oriented tone, with greater humor and
more emphasis on characterization. These are for fun, a chance to break
out and go nuts. I've been doing angst for five years now; these films are
going to be a hoot," says Straczynski.
Douglas Netter, Chairman, CEO and President of Netter, and series creator
J. Michael Straczynski will executive-produce the new series and two-hour
films, scripted by Straczynski for Babylonian Productions. Warner Bros.
licensed the series and film.
Netter Digital Technologies, a division of Netter, which currently provides
the special effects for Babylon 5, is creating the effects for the new
movies and "CRUSADE" series.
John Copeland, producer of Babylon 5 and executive vice president of Netter
says, "In our industry, it is rare to have the level of international
success that we have been so fortunate to attain with Babylon 5. Our
international audience has been nothing short of steadfast in its devotion
to the characters and the stories of Babylon 5. 'CRUSADE' will continue in
this vein; striving to break new ground in special effects, character, plot
and ingenuity.
"We are pleased once again to have TNT and Warner Bros. as our partners in
moving forward in this newer millennium and to know of their plans to
produce additional TNT Babylon 5 movies," says Douglas Netter. "We are
equally as pleased to have our qualified and dedicated staff, working on
these new exciting projects."
Turner Network Television (TNT), currently seen in more than 72 million
homes, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour, advertiser-supported
service offering original motion pictures and series; contemporary films
from the worlds largest film library, the combined Turner and Warner Bros.
Film libraries; exciting NBA sports action; popular television series; and
timeless cartoons.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., is a
major producer of news and entertainment products around the world and the
leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.
Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc. is engaged in the acquisition,
development and production of television series, made for television
movies, documentaries, theatrical motion pictures and multimedia products.
The Babylon 5 television series is produced in association with J. Michael
Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd. under Babylonian Productions of which
Netter Digital is the majority owner. The series airs on the TNT Network.
The company's wholly owned subsidiary, Videssence, Inc., provides high tech
media lighting products for the entertainment, electronic news and video
conferencing/distant learning markets. Netter recently entered the
business of providing digital media production services to outside clients
through a newly formed division, Netter Digital Technologies.
SOURCE Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc.
04/08/98 06:03 EDT http://www.prnewswire.com
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