DADT Takes Sam Raimi's 'Wizard's First Rule' to the Syndication Marketplace for a...

DADT Takes Sam Raimi's 'Wizard's First Rule' to the Syndication Marketplace
for a Fall 2008 Launch

BURBANK, Calif., Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Disney-ABC Domestic Television is
bringing a new first-run, live-action weekly series to the syndication
marketplace for a Fall 2008 launch, it was announced today by Janice
Marinelli, president, Disney-ABC Domestic Television. From Executive Producer
Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man," "Spider-Man 2," "Spider-Man 3" and "The Evil Dead"),
the one-hour weekly series is based on Terry Goodkind's bestselling epic
fantasy series The Sword of Truth, which follows the extraordinary
transformation of woodsman Richard Cypher into a magical leader who joins with
a mysterious, beautiful woman to stop a bloodthirsty, sinister tyrant.
"We are thrilled to offer a network-quality show to the syndication
marketplace from the studio that brings us 'Lost,' 'Grey's Anatomy,'
'Desperate Housewives,' 'Criminal Minds,' 'Ghost Whisperer' and the new
Lifetime hit 'Army Wives,' together with the talented team behind 'Xena:
Warrior Princess' and 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys,'" said Janice
Marinelli, president, Disney-ABC Domestic Television. "The time is right to
introduce a captivating new series from this well-established and successful
genre that is sure to be an attractive fit for stations across the country."
"We're very excited to move into the first-run syndication arena," said
Mark Pedowitz, president of ABC Studios, "especially with Sam Raimi, a
visually dynamic filmmaker who's mastered the fantasy genre."
"Terry Goodkind is a brilliant author and I fell in love with his books,
reading them with my family," said Executive Producer Sam Raimi. "In
discussing these incredible storylines and rich characters with my friends and
partners Robert Tapert and Josh Donen, we agreed that 'Wizard's First Rule'
would make an amazing television series -- one that could be produced with
compelling, self-contained episodes."
Goodkind's popular epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth are
international bestsellers that have been translated into over 20 languages.
Goodkind's first installment Wizard's First Rule was published in 1994 and ten
additional titles have subsequently been released.
"Wizard's First Rule" will be produced by ABC Studios, marking their first
venture into broadcast syndication. Production is slated to begin on the 22
episodes this May. Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert ("The Grudge," "Xena: Warrior
Princess," "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Cleopatra 2525"), Joshua
Donen ("The Quick and the Dead") and Ned Nalle (production executive for
"Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys") serve as
executive producers.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070430/LAM020LOGO)
SOURCE Disney-ABC Domestic Television

Kim Harbin, +1-818-460-5066, for Disney-ABC Domestic Television