Continuing its aggressive expansion into home entertainment production as an economic and efficient means of capitalizing on its broad catalog of film and television programming, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) has announced an ambitious slate for the development and production of home entertainment product, focusing on proven hits with the young male, young female and young adult entertainment consumers. The announcement was made today by Jason Weiss, Vice President of the new division.
"We're targeting today's savvy media consumer who demands quality video entertainment regardless of where that entertainment experience takes place," said Weiss in announcing the studio's slate for 2007 and beyond. "By leveraging film and television franchises, which have already proven to be popular with specific targeted demographic groups, we're able to both continually replenish our library while also maximizing revenues from our existing film and television programming."
MGM has plans to release 12 or more projects per year, primarily based on popular film and television franchises with wide appeal to today's young adult entertainment consumers.
Targeting young adult males, MGM will develop a new installment of the corrupt-cop thriller Dark Blue, written by John Herzfeld (2 Days in the Valley). The studio will also develop Audrey Rose, a remake of the 1977 spine tingling supernatural suspense film. The latest installment of Audrey Rose is written by Andrea Meyer (Daughter of Suicide).
Continuing to target young adult males, MGM will produce genre fare projects based on original screenplays. The studio will release Pet, a horror-thriller written by Jeremy Slater and the action-packed Angelmaker, written by Alexander Vesha.
Aiming at the young female audience, MGM will be producing new installments for its girl empowerment franchises. Legally Blondes, written by Chad and Dara Creasey, stars British twins Camilla and Rebecca Rosso (The Suite Life of Zack & Cody) as cousins of the Elle Woods character, made famous by actress Reese Witherspoon. The studio will also release the figure skater themed Cutting Edge 3, written by Susan Jansen (Lizzie McGuire).
Focusing on young adults in general, MGM will develop a new edition of the critically acclaimed dark comedy based on the Showtime series Dead Like Me. The new edition will be written by Steven Godchaux and directed by Stephen Herek (Man of the House). Currently casting, MGM will also start production shortly on Captive, a claustrophobic thriller written and directed by Amanda Gusack (In Memorium).
MGM had previously announced the soon to be released science fiction adventure Species: The Awakening and the high-tech themed Wargames: The Dead Code.
Continuing its development of projects appealing to young adult males, the studio is also beginning production on two films based on its Stargate franchise, the longest-running science-fiction series in U.S. TV history. Stargate: The Aark Of Truth, begins production on April 15, while Stargate: Continuum, which will feature epic ice camp scenes shot on location in the Arctic, will resume filming on May 15. Richard Dean Anderson will be reprising his role as General Jack O'Neill in Stargate: Continuum with other Stargate SG-1 cast members, including Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks, will appear in both movies.
MGM DVD Slate:
Angelmaker:
Based on an original script by Alexander Vesha, Angelmaker follows a heroic cop who is devastated when the assassin he is tracking murders his wife. Angelmaker is produced by David Greathouse.
Audrey Rose:
Written by Andrea Meyer, Audrey Rose is a remake of the 1977 supernatural thriller about a New York couple whose happy home is disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious stranger. The stranger believes the couple's daughter is the reincarnation of his own child, who died in a horrible accident years ago. Audrey Rose is produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler and Sara Berrisford.
Captive:
Written and directed by Amanda Gusack, Captive follows a woman and her child who awaken after a car accident to realize they are being held captive in an abandoned warehouse by criminals who are trying to retrieve millions that her husband stole. Caught up as a pawn between her untrustworthy husband and the criminals, she must figure a way out, while outmaneuvering both sides. Captive is produced by Vincent Newman.
Cutting Edge 3:
Written by Susan Jansen, Cutting Edge 3 will once again follow the ups and downs of a figure skater's life. Cutting Edge 3 tells the story of the young and beautiful Jackie who attempts to compete at her sport's highest level, while battling various enemies who try to thwart her efforts to make it to the top. Cutting Edge 3 is produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler and Sara Berrisford.
Written by John Herzfeld, Dark Blue is inspired by the 2002 film, which was a dramatic thriller focusing on corrupt LAPD cops in the days leading up to the acquittal of four white officers in the beating of Rodney King and the subsequent riots. Dark Blue is produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler and Sara Berrisford.
Dead Like Me:
Written by Steven Godchaux and directed by Stephen Herek, Dead Like Me is based on the Showtime series about an 18-year old girl who is killed in a freak accident and is recruited in the afterlife to be part of a team of grim reapers. Dead Like Me is produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler and Sara Berrisford.
Legally Blondes:
Written by Chad and Dara Creasey, Legally Blondes stars British twins Camilla and Rebecca Ross as the cousins of the Elle Woods character, made famous by actress Reese Witherspoon. The cousins go overseas to attend a prestigious but stodgy American prep school. Legally Blondes is produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler, Sara Berrisford, Irene Dreayer and Matt Papish.
Based on an original screenplay by Jeremy Slater, Pet follows a woman who realizes she is being stalked by a man who abducts and imprisons her and her attempts to ultimately escape. PET is produced by Aaron Kaplan, Sean Perrone and Steven Schneider.
Species: The Awakening:
Written by Ben Ripley and starring Helena Mattson, Ben Cross, Marco Bacuzzi and Dominic Keating, Species: The Awakening tells the story of Miranda Hollander (Mattson), the beautiful and brilliant university professor who is shocked when her uncle reveals to her that she isn't actually human, but an alien hybrid he and as associate created in a laboratory. When Miranda's bestial side emerges with bloody consequences, her uncles discovers that her cure may be far worse than her disease. Species: The Awakening is directed by Nick Lyon and produced by Frank Mancuso Jr., Lorenzo O'Brien and Aaron Mazzolini.
Stargate: The Ark of Truth:
Written and Directed by Robert Cooper, Stargate: The Ark of Truth stars Richard Dean Anderson as General Jack O'Neill with other Stargate SG-1 cast members, including Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks. As SG-1 searches for an Ancient artifact which they hope can defeat the armies of the Ori, they learn more Ori ships are about to be sent through the supergate to launch a final assault on Earth. Daniel discovers that the artifact, the Ark of Truth, may be in the Ori home galaxy, and SG-1 embarks aboard the Odyssey to find it, and pre-empt the attack. The IOA has a plan of their own and SG-1 ends up in a distant galaxy fighting two powerful enemies. Stargate: The Ark of Truth: is produced by Robert Cooper and Brad Wright.
Stargate: Continuum:
Written by Brad Wright, Stargate: Continuum Stars Richard Dean Anderson as General Jack O'Neill with other Stargate SG-1 cast members, including Ben Browder, Amanda Tapping, Christopher Judge, Claudia Black and Michael Shanks. While SG-1 attends the execution of Ba'al, the last of the goa'uld system lords, Teal'c and Vala inexplicably disappear into thin air. Carter, Daniel and Mitchell race back to a world where history has been changed: the Stargate program has been erased from the timeline. As they try to convince the authorities of what's happened, a fleet of goa'uld motherships arrives in orbit, led by Ba'al, his queen, Katesh (Vala) and his first prime, Teal'c. SG-1 must find the Stargate and set things right before the world is enslaved by the goa'uld. Stargate: Continuum: is directed by Martin Wood and produced by Brad Wright and Robert Cooper.
Wargames: The Dead Code:
Written by Randall M. Badat, Rob Kerchner, Wargames: The Dead Code stars Matt Lanter and Maxim Roy and tells the story of Will (Lanter), an 18 year old computer genious who through his efforts to impress a hot, young chess prodigy named Annie (Roy), unwittingly gets registered in the Department of Homeland Security cyber-web as a potential terrorist. Now Will and Annie must work to clear their names and save Philadelphia from total annihilation. Wargames: The Dead Code is directed by Stuart Gillard and produced by Hudson Hickman, Craig Roessler and Sara Berrisford.