A Comic To Film Slate ‘Paradox »

[ENGLISH] Arcana Comics tells us: Vancouver (December 22, 2008) – Arcana Studios, an award winning comic book publisher and transmedia producer, has joined forces with Emmy Award winning production company Legacy Filmworks, and production/finance group Bron Management, to produce a slate of five live-action ‘genre’ feature films based on Arcana comic book titles, starting with the sci-fi thriller “Paradox”, currently in production in British Columbia.

Deboragh Gabler, through her production shingle Legacy Filmworks will produce the slate, alongside Bron Management’s Aaron L. Gilbert. Arcana’s Founder/Publisher Sean O’Reilly is Executive Producer. All slate films are based on Arcana published sci-fi, thriller, and horror comic book titles.

“Since Aaron joined forces with me at Arcana, we have concentrating on structuring partnerships with top producers like Deboragh Gabler” said O’Reilly. He continued, “We are excited to be working with her on our films, which will introduce and showcase the work of some incredible independent comic book creators. We are also just thrilled to have these projects financed given the state of the current market. It has been tough but Aaron figured out how to make it happen ” Paradox, which was written by Christos Gage and Ruth Fletcher Gage, based on the comic series by Christos Gage, is being directed by Brenton Spencer (a top sci-fi film and TV director, perhaps best known for his work on Stargate: Atlantis and Earth: Final Conflict). The incredible ensemble cast features a host of sci-fi stars, lead by Kevin Sorbo (Andromeda, Hercules); Steph Song (jPod, and co-star with Val Kilmer in the upcoming The Thaw); Christopher Judge (Stargate); Alan C. Peterson (Shooter, Narc, Beautiful Joe); Alisen Down (Battlestar Galactica); and Emilie Ullerup (Sanctuary).

Paradox introduces homicide detective Sean Nault, a cop on a parallel Earth who is investigating a baffling series of murders committed by a means his Earth has never seen before: the power of science. Sean uncovers an apocalyptic plot that will lead him to another dimension and the realization that, unless he prevents it, both earths could well be destroyed.

Legacy’ s Gabler said, “I’ve known Aaron a long time but this is our first endeavor together”. She added “what a great way to start a working partnership on such an exciting and timely series of films, from a dynamic and creative comic book mind like Sean O’Reilly”. Other comic-to-film slate projects include; Chopper, a horror/thriller based on a Martin Shapiro comic going to camera end of January 2009; and Sundown, a western/vampire thriller based on the comic by Jay Busbee, scheduling for April/May 2009. Future slate projects will be announced in the coming months.
The films are being sold internationally by Myriad Pictures who will be working alongside Arcana, Legacy, and Bron to brand these comic-to-film ‘genre’ films.

About Arcana Studios:
Arcana Comics has published over 150 original comics and books and is a division of Arcana, an award winning transmedia company founded by CEO Sean O’Reilly.  Arcana establishes new brands and intellectual properties with engaging storytelling and compelling visuals through comic books, graphic novels, animation, short-form live-action, video games, toys and now, feature length films. Arcana has created original brands they control such as The Clockwork Girl and Kade, and have further developed existing brands for Disney, Sony, Capcom, HBO and more. Recently the studio produced the animated series RED LOTUS for Spike TV and are currently producing the animated series GREATEST AMERICAN HERO. In addition to CHOPPER, PARADOX, and SUNDOWN, several of Arcana’ s other properties are in development or pre-production such as GEARHEAD with Valhalla Motion Pictures.

About Legacy Filmworks:
Emmy and Peabody Award-winning producer, Deboragh Gabler, founded LEGACY FILMWORKS (www.legacyfilmworks.com) in 1996. Legacy is one of the most respected production companies in Canada, with over 35 theatrical features, television movies and series to its credit. Legacy recently completed production on feature films, THE BREAK-UP ARTIST, WEB OF DESIRE, SIGHT UNSEEN and SAFETY GLASS, (Hilary Duff and Steve Coogan). In 2007, Legacy received a Prism Award for the film, MY NAME IS SARAH. Also produced that year were DANCING TREES, HOLLYWOOD BRATS, as well as the Sony/Screen Gems feature IMPULSE. From 2004 to 2006, Legacy produced five movies for the big screen and television: THE BAD SON, UNTHINKABLE, CHRISTMAS ON CHESTNUT STREET, THE ACCIDENTAL WITNESS, AMBER’ S STORY, FBI NEGOTIATOR, THE SUSPECT, NEVERWAS (Ian MacKellan, Nick Nolte, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming, Brittany Murphy, William Hurt and Aaron Eckhart), and BANG, BANG, YOU’RE DEAD, which received four Emmy Awards in the producer, director, writer and performance categories.

About Bron Management:
Aaron Gilbert is the Managing Director of Bron Management Ltd. (“Bron” ) www.bronman.com, a company active since 1999 in the production, financing, licensing, and exploitation of film, television, animation, publishing, and online/mobile media worldwide. Bron secured an interest in Arcana Studios in 2008 and works alongside Arcana’s founder/CEO Sean O’Reilly, to develop comics for film, television, animation, and online/mobile media. Outside of Arcana, Gilbert is a Producer/Executive Producer of both live-action and animated films with several top production partners including Killer Films, Myriad Pictures, and Legacy Filmworks.