Director Darren Aronofsky (Pi, Requiem for a Dream), Regency Enterprises and Warner Bros. Pictures have invited fifteen artists, including some of the top graphic artists from the comic book world, to create original works of art interpreting Aronofsky’s forthcoming sci-fi fantasy film The Fountain, which will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures this fall.

Beginning in mid-August, these images will be released on the film’s official web site at www.thefountainmovie.com. A new interpretation will appear approximately once per week leading up to the film’s release.

Among the innovative visual artists lending their talents to this unique collaboration are renowned Batman and X-Men illustrator Jim Lee; Hard Boiled co-creator Geof Darrow, who also served as a conceptual designer on the Matrix film trilogy; writer-illustrator Dave Gibbons, who collaborated with Alan Moore on the seminal graphic novel Watchmen; as well as Jason Alexander, Olivier Bramanti, Seth Fisher, Phil Hale, James Jean, Mike Mignola, Jon J. Muth, Kostas Seremetis, Bill Sienkiewicz, Barron Storey and Martin Wilner.

“I am a fanatical fan of all of the stellar artists participating in The Fountain Art Project,” Aronofsky said. “And so, it is difficult to find adequate words to describe how it feels when I see one of them interpret my script. It has been a great pleasure to see each and every piece created.”

An odyssey about one man’s thousand-year struggle to save the woman he loves, The Fountain is written and directed by Aronofsky and stars Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz and Ellen Burstyn.

In addition to the original artwork being created and debuted on the web site, DC Comics/Vertigo is releasing a graphic novel based on The Fountain, lavishly illustrated by noted painter Kent Williams. An oversized, deluxe edition, The Fountain graphic novel further realizes Aronofsky’s vision, bringing to life an alternate interpretation of his epic film.

The Fountain will be released worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

Bio information for artists participating in The Fountain Art Project:

Jason Alexander:

Jason Alexander’s recent comics and illustration works include titles such as, Gotham Central, for DC Comics, Damn Nation and Van Helsing for Dark Horse Comics, and Queen and Country for Oni Press, for which he earned two Eisner Award nominations.

Olivier Bramanti:

Olivier Bramanti was born in 1971 in Marseille, France. His most recent title, translated into English as Who Has Known Fire, was completed with Yvan Alagbé in 2004. Currently in residence at the House of the Authors in Angoulême, Olivier is working on a project about the figure of Jeanne d’Arc.

Geof Darrow:

Geof Darrow’s career as a comic-book artist includes such noted titles as Hard Boiled and Big Guy and Rusty the Boy Robot, both by Frank Miller, Another Chance to Get It Right by Andrew Vachss, and coming soon from Dark Horse Comics, Shaolin Cowboy, which he both illustrates and writes.

Seth Fisher:

Seth Fisher’s detailed pop-surrealism challenges even dedicated readers. His books include Green Lantern: Willworld, Flash Time Flies, Vertigo Pop: Tokyo and a recent arc on Batman Legends of the Dark Knight: Snow.

Dave Gibbons:

Dave Gibbons has worked in comics since 1973. He has drawn and written for most comics publishers on both sides of the Atlantic. His work has encompassed Dr. Who, Superman, Batman, Green Lantern, Predator, Aliens, the Hugo Award-winning Watchmen, Give Me Liberty, and Martha Washington Goes to War. His recent graphic novel, The Originals, has been nominated for an Eisner Award. He is currently scripting a number of high profile projects for DC Comics.

Phil Hale:

A member of the Gold Medal Society of Illustrators New York, Phil Hale was an artist on Stephen King’s Tower of the Gunfighter II, as well as having worked with Playboy, Donald Grant Books, White Wolf, DC and Marvel Comics. His art collections include Double Memory with Rick Berry, and the recently released Goad.

James Jean:

James Jean is known for his award winning covers for DC/Vertigo, as well as his illustrations for such clients as TIME, Atlantic Records, SPIN, Playboy, Target, the New York Times, and the Washington Post. A hardcover collection of his personal paintings and sketches, entitled Process Recess, was published by Adhouse Books in 2005.

Jim Lee:

Jim Lee is known for his stylized, detailed and dynamic style. In the early 1990s, Lee became an industry superstar without precedent for his work on Marvel Comics‘ X-Men franchise. He later founded Wildstorm Productions. Most recently, he has done acclaimed artwork for classic DC Comics properties Batman and Superman.

Mike Mignola:

Mike Mignola is best known as the award winning creator – writer – artist of Hellboy. He was also a production designer on the Disney film Atlantis: The Lost Empire and visual consultant to Guillermo del Toro on both Blade 2 and the film version of Hellboy.

Jon J. Muth:

Jon J. Muth is not only a comic artist, but also a painter and musician. Muth has been working in comics since the beginning of the 1980s, and has created an impressive bibliography. He has cooperated with writer J.M. DeMatteis on the epic series Moonshadow (1985-87), which still stands out as an original, ground-breaking comic. He has worked together with numerous artists and writers, and especially his contribution to the grand Sandman series, by Neil Gaiman, must be mentioned here. Other Jon Muth titles are Dracula (1986), and The Mystery Play (1994), written by Grant Morrison.

Kostas Seremetis:

Kostas Seremetis is a New York based artist who has been painting for the past ten years. Kostas’s work is graffiti-influenced fine art that portrays popular comic book and sci-fi heroes and villains, depicting the eternal battle between good and evil. His work has been described as abstract expressionist popular art that evokes an emotional response.

Bill Sienkiewicz:

Bill’s innovative use of collage and illustration methods to tell a story have won him many major awards. His most recently published work includes Testament and Precursor, a collection of watercolors and non-computer-enhanced work. Other projects include posters and storyboards for films such as Unforgiven, The Green Mile and The Grinch. He is currently illustrating the Marvel Comics series Black Widow.

Barron Storey:

Winner of the NY Society of Illustrators Gold Medal in 1976, Barron has taught at many universities including the School of Visual Arts in New York City and Art Center College of Design. He’s worked as a freelancer illustrator for diverse clients from the United States Information Agency and NASA to Heavy Metal and Putnam Publishing. As an exhibiting artist, Barron has held many one-man shows in New York City and Washington, DC.

Martin Wilner:

Martin Wilner is an artist living and working in New York City. He is represented by Pierogi in Brooklyn, New York. His most recent one person exhibition, “History and Evidence” was accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue. His work has appeared on the cover of “The Brooklyn Rail” and “Pierogi Press.”