A community of men & women who embody the next generation of pop culture

One of Top Cow’s most celebrated comic titles, Witchblade, is coming to the big screen.

LOS ANGELES, May 12, 2008 – Platinum Studios, Inc. (OTCBB: PDOS), an entertainment company that controls an international library of more than 5,600 comic book characters which it adapts, produces and licenses for all forms of media, in conjunction with Top Cow Productions, Inc., an entertainment and publishing company specializing in building intellectual properties through comic-book and graphic-novel publication, and Arclight Films, one of the leading international film sales companies, today announced a deal to co-produce a feature film based on the action fantasy thriller Witchblade. The best-selling comic book franchise created by Top Cow has sold over 100 million units worldwide since its #1 debut in 1995.
It is anticipated that the film would be shot on location in Australia. The exact story line and nature of the script is being kept under wraps, but will stay true to the Witchblade mythology, which centers around a deadly ornate gauntlet that gives superpowers to the wearer, a chosen female bearer of each generation, who possesses it.
“Witchblade is one of the premier comic-book titles in the world,” said Gary Hamilton, CEO of Arclight. “This property is the cornerstone of our upcoming production and sales slate and we hope to be able to start production in September 2008.”
Hamilton, Nigel Odell, head of Arclight’s production operations, Platinum Studios’ CEO Scott Mitchell Rosenberg and Steve Squillante of Havenwood Media are all set to produce. Top Cow’s CEO Marc Silvestri and President Matt Hawkins would serve as executive producers as would Platinum Studios’ Rich Marincic. Former Universal Pictures senior executive Randy Greenberg of the Greenberg Group, who helped negotiate the deal with Platinum Studios General Counsel, Helene Pretsky, would also executive produce. Hawkins and attorney Harris Miller negotiated on behalf of Top Cow.
“In my opinion, Witchblade is one of the finest comic-book properties yet to be made into a full-length feature film,” said Platinum Studios’ Rosenberg. “’I believe that Witchblade’s fantastic origin, intriguing mystery and wonderful story should satisfy the core audience while giving all moviegoers an amazing ride.”
“We have been looking for the right opportunity to bring Witchblade to the big screen,” said Marc Silvestri, CEO of Top Cow. “We are fortunate to have production partners who value the story and the characters so much and have a shared vision.”
The Witchblade’ comic book has been published in more than 21 languages and distributed in over 55 countries. The notable success of the comic book led to the highly rated made-for-TV movie in 2000, which spawned a weekly series that ran for two seasons on TNT. The property has been licensed all over the world in action figures, magnets, trading cards, posters, lithographs, skateboards, collectible masks, lunch pails, role playing games, collectible Halloween masks, soundtracks, novelizations, die cast cars, Digital DVD comics, statues, Christmas ornaments and multiple toy lines.
Most recently, Witchblade was licensed in Japan to Gonzo Digimation Holding and made into an anime TV show by Studio GONZO. The first season’s 26 original produced half-hour episodes ran on terrestrial television to rave reviews and ratings — of the 97 different Anime series on the air in 2006, Witchblade was #17 — and it was the highest anime debut of an American property ever. Late last year, FUNimation released the Japanese anime to the DVD market in the U.S. and it became the #1 Amine DVD debut of 2007. Witchblade is also the first American property to be fully adapted in Japan as an original anime and manga.
Platinum Studios’s film and TV division has various other properties in development at major film studios, including “Atlantis Rising” at DreamWorks and Kurtzman/Orci (“Transformers”) set to produce “Cowboys and Aliens” again at DreamWorks with Kurtzman/Orci partnering with Universal Pictures partnering with Imagine Entertainment, and “Unique” at Walt Disney Pictures. Platinum Studio has also recently announced its partnering with Hyde Park Entertainment to co-produce “Dead of Night,” based on the beloved Italian comic book series, Dylan Dog.
Top Cow’s TV series Witchblade, which was TNT’s #1 original show of 2000, is set to have the 2001-2002 episodes released on DVD on July 29, 2008. Top Cow’s The Darkness, was developed into a major next-generation video game release by Starbreeze and 2K Games and achieved platinum sales status. Additionally, Top Cow has turned Wanted, the best-selling Eisner Award-nominated miniseries and graphic novel published by Top Cow and written by comics superstar Mark Millar, into a major motion picture that is being released wide on June 27, 2008 by Universal Pictures.
14 Responses for "Top Cow Announces “Witchblade” Movie"
OH MY GOD!
OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODGODOHMYGOD
*gasps*
OH MY GOD!!!
Witchblade movie. OK I’m on board.
Angelina Jolie. OK, now I’m just bored.
I LOVE Angelina…I can’t think of anyone better for the role other than possibly Rhona Mitra. I have to say though, now that I am a bit calmed down, that it is kinda strange they would use Angelina since she is staring in their other movie - Wanted. And she played Lara Croft , which Top Cow also made into a comic. So…no Witchblade / Tomb Raider crossover movies! LOL. Still, I don’t care! WITCHBLADE MOVIE!!!
I think I am just Angelina’d out. It would have been GREAT to see an undiscovered actress play the role. Someone who you can associate with Witchblade and not Lara or Mrs. Smith or any of the other 1000000000 movies she has done. She’s good, don’t get me wrong, but I like fresh faces when it comes to comic book movies. I feel like having a known person play the lead will pull me out of believing the character.
BAH, TOTALLY misread that. Angie isn’t listed as the star. They are talking about the Wanted movie. My bad.
Hahaha…Now they can use Rhona Mitra. Google her if you don’t know who she is. I swear Michael Turner was using her as a reference when he drew Sara!
Hope Uwe “I destroy every franchise you like” Boll isn’t aboard.
AAAAAAAAAAAAGGH *head explodes*
Okay, even though Angelina’s not starring, I still agree with you, Aktrez. I think it will be more effective with a more obscure actress doing it—not as well-known but one that has promising talent. That way you can avoid any previously notions/expectations and type-casting issues that you so often get with big stars like Jolie (though I do really like her, just … in serious/drama movies).
I think all of these movies benefit from an up and coming unknown actress playing the titel role!
I want to suggest Lindsey Shaw or Colbie Smudlers
I would prefer to have Atkrez in the title role with VirtualGirl playing Lara Croft though
This is a great move by Top Cow to finally do a Witchblade Movie!
We’re pretty stoked by this announcement, too as you can imagine. There is already a director who’s in talks to take it on, so look for that announcement soon (and no, it’s not Uwe Boll). As for who would star, I can’t even tease that stuff!
Glad you are as excited as we are!
Mel Caylo
Top Cow
Yes Mel … we are stoked! Please come back and update us when you have more information. Thank you!
Omg omg omg omg omg!! *breathes*
This has to be the best day for announcements EVER! I swear if I come across one more thing Im going to squeal my last squeal…x_X
And I just told my husband that Im offically divorcing him since he knew about this before me and didn’t tell me!! *grumbles* -_-;
But thanks for posting! And TY Mel for coming to GEN and updating us! <3
I just hope I get to travel to Australia to visit the set! Hmm….gotta go plant that bug in my boss’ ear…
Leave a reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.