Wild Bunch AG

Business and Financial Review • May 21, 2002

News Details

Corporate | 21 May 2002 13:11

Senator Entertainment AG english

Senator produces with internationally acclaimed top directors Corporate-news announcement sent by DGAP. The sender is solely responsible for the contents of this announcement. ——————————————————————————– Senator will produce the bestseller novel POPE JOAN – SPIDER-MAN-director Sam Raimi teams up with Senator – PANIC ROOM director David Fincher co-produces LORDS OF DOGTOWN with Senator Senator Film will produce Donna Woolfolk Cross’ international bestseller POPE JOAN, which will be directed by Oscar-laureate Volker Schlöndorff (THE TIN DRUM) based on the script by Michael Hirst (ELISABETH) in co-production with UFA Film. The bestseller sold over 3 million copies in Germany alone and also led the international charts. Senator International will distribute the movie worldwide and has been offering the project to buyers for the first time at the current Cannes film market. The German exploitation rights will be handled by Senator Film Verleih GmbH. International production begins in 2003. Senator CEO Hanno Huth will co-produce the project with Norbert Sauer, CEO of UFA Filmproduktion. Benjamin Herrmann, general manager of Senator Film Produktion, will be executive producer. In addition, Senator International has agreed to a three year cooperation with SPIDER-MAN director Sam Raimi and producer Rob Tapert. The cooperation includes several film productions in the horror, science fiction, and fantasy genres. Senator International will greenlight the projects, coordinate financing and distribute the films worldwide. Raimi und Tapert are bringing numerous young directing talents and pre-developed projects into the cooperation. The first film will be the ghost-thriller BOOGEYMAN. “With so much talent out there that we would love to work with, it’s very satisfying to bring movie-going thrills to mainstream audiences.” Raimi’s SPIDER-MAN has been breaking box office records, bringing in over US $270 million in its third weekend in the US cinemas. Raimi began his film career in 1983 with THE EVIL DEAD, which he also wrote, produced and directed. Then followed films like A SIMPLE PLAN and THE GIFT. He has worked together with Rob Tapert from the very beginning, with whom he produced TIMECOP, HARD TARGET and DARKMAN. In addition, they have made more than 300 joint productions for television. Senator international will also finance and globally distribute LORDS OF DOGTOWN. The renowned director David Fincher (PANIC ROOM, SEVEN) will produce the film LORDS OF DOGTOWN this summer together with Fred Durst (leader of the cult band LIMP BIZKIT), Art Linson (THE UNTOUCHABLES) and John Linson (GREAT EXPECTATIONS). Senator International will manage financing and worldwide distribution of this film as well. Revenues of movies by Fincher, Art und John Linson currently total over US$1.6 billion. LORDS OF DOGTOWN tells the authentic, action-packed tale of an outsider gang in California. The legendary skaters created furor with their wild lifestyle and fashion. The outsiders became trendsetters who redefined the rules of their sport, expressing a new energy to a skating generation around the world. Director of the film is Fred Durst, himself a passionate skater. “This is a movie about iconoclasts. It is about youth and energy and anger and fulfillment. How could one not think of Fred Durst?” says David Fincher. He looks forward to working with him because: “For me the film is a unique chance to bring in all my successes and experiences.” It is his first feature film after directing more than a dozen music videos. His band LIMP BIZKIT has sold over 30 million albums and has held the number one spot on the billboard charts twice in the US as well as in the UK. Their hit “Take A Look Around” was also decisive in the MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2 soundtracks commercial success. Among the films Senator International has sold in Cannes is the Senator co- production THE VIRGIN OF LIVERPOOL starring Ricky Tomlinson, Paul Barber and Johnny Vegas, directed by Lee Donaldson. This feel-good movie in the tradition of THE FULL MONTY will be produced this summer by the London based Mob Film and Senator Film Produktion. Executive producers are Hanno Huth and Benjamin Herrmann. “With the new productions and our cooperation partners, we have become one of the most important addresses for talents and distributors throughout the world. We are rapidly closing in on our target of belonging to the top 5 most successful independent world distribution companies,” says Hanno Huth, CEO Senator Entertainment AG. Contact: Karl W. Homburg Head of IR / Corporate Communications Phone: +4930 88091 612, Fax: +4930 88091 616, e-mail:investor@senator.de, or Bernhard Krause, MetaCom, Phone: +49 6181 982 8020 end of message, (c)DGAP 21.05.2002