The Weinstein Company Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Picture, First Look & Co-Finance Animation Deal With Exodus Film Group

The Weinstein Company Signs Multi-Year, Multi-Picture, First Look & Co-Finance Animation Deal With Exodus Film Group

TWC and Exodus to Produce a Sequel to Their Upcoming Film "Igor"

CANNES, France, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- The Weinstein Company is pleased to announce that they have formed a strategic alliance with Exodus Film Group to jointly develop, produce and finance a multi-picture slate of CG-animated feature films, DVDs, and television series. TWC will distribute the titles worldwide. The joint announcement was made today by Harvey Weinstein, Co- Chairman of The Weinstein Company and John D. Eraklis, CEO of Exodus Film Group.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070523/NYW067 )

TWC is handling worldwide distribution for Exodus' much-anticipated CG- animated film "Igor," which is set for a wide theatrical release on October 24, 2008.

Harvey Weinstein stated, "With our first collaboration 'Igor' looking so strong we thought the timing was right to further the relationship and to begin work on an 'Igor' sequel. John Eraklis and his team, led by Max Howard, have the unique ability to create dynamic animated entertainment that attracts kids, parents and everyone in between."

"We've enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with Harvey Weinstein, Eric Robinson, and Glen Basner," said Eraklis. "I can't think of anything better than working side by side with The Weinstein Company to develop, finance and produce an animated slate of films."

"Igor" is a playfully irreverent comedy that brings a new twist to the classic monster genre. It tells the story of an evil scientist's hunch backed lab assistant with big dreams of becoming a scientist himself and winning the annual Evil Science Fair. The stellar voice cast includes Jeremy Piven, Jay Leno, John Cusack, Jennifer Coolidge, Arsenio Hall, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi, John Cleese, Sean Hayes and Christian Slater. Award-winning animation writer, Tony Leondis, is directing the screenplay by Chris McKenna. Eraklis and Exodus Productions' head Jean-Luc De Fanti are producing with Exodus President Max Howard executive producing.. Eric Robinson, Vice President of Production and Development, will oversee the creative aspects of the relationship on behalf of TWC.

Award-winning global leader Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing Division announced a major publishing deal this month with Exodus for seven "Igor" books which will published under their Simon Scribbles and Simon Spotlight imprints.

To complement the strategic alliance with TWC, Exodus will establish a New York presence. The new office will be in addition to their headquarters in Los Angeles and European operations in Paris.

Other exciting CG-animated projects for The Weinstein Company include "Escape From Planet Earth," "Opus," "Cricket In Times Square" and "Hoodwinked 2: Hood vs. Evil" the sequel to the box office hit "Hoodwinked."

Glen Basner, President of TWC International, and Michal Podell, Vice President of International Business and Legal Affairs, negotiated the agreement on behalf of TWC. Eraklis, Howard, De Fanti and Weissmann, Wolff's Todd Stern negotiated on behalf of Exodus.

ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY

The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1, 2005. Dimension Films, the genre label that was founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, is also included under the TWC banner.

Upcoming films to be released by The Weinstein Company and Dimension Films include: Michael Moore's "SiCKO" which recently premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and has quickly become one of the most talked about movies the year; the romantic comedy "Dedication" starring Billy Crudup and Mandy Moore; the heartfelt drama "Grace Is Gone" starring John Cusack; and Wong Kar Wai's "My Blueberry Nights" starring Norah Jones. Upcoming Weinstein Company films to be domestically distributed in theaters by MGM include "The Nanny Diaries," based on the NY Times No. 1 best-selling satirical comedy, starring Scarlett Johansson and Paul Giamatti; Rob Zombie's reinvention of "Halloween" starring Malcolm McDowell and Brad Dourif; and "1408" adapted from the terrifying short story by suspense master Stephen King starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, and Mary McCormack.

During the Weinsteins' tenure at Miramax Films the company released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films which received 249 Academy Award(R) nominations and won 60 Oscars(R), have generated billions of dollars in worldwide box office receipts and billions more in home video sales. In its history, Dimension Films has released some of the most successful franchises including "Scream," "Spy Kids" and "Scary Movie."

ABOUT EXODUS FILM GROUP

Los Angeles, California-based Exodus Film Group is an independent production company, which has taken pioneering steps in the animation field by creating one of the first private equity animation film funds. In addition to "Igor," and outside of the newly formed strategic alliance with TWC, Exodus' CG-animation slate includes "The Hero of Color City," which is in pre- production and will be distributed in North America by Magnolia Pictures, and "Bunyan & Babe."

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Photo: NewsCom:

http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070523/NYW067
AP Archive:

http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: The Weinstein Company

CONTACT: Sarah Rothman, +1-646-862-3823, sarah.rothman@weinsteinco.com,
or Julie Cloutier, +1-646-862-3825, Julie.cloutier@weinsteinco.com, both of
The Weinstein Company; or Spence Bovee of Exodus Film Group, 06-32-285-022
(France), +1-310-722-9191 (US), spence@exodusfilmgroup.com

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