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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Beverly Hills, CA - August 9, 2001
Dimension Films, Collision
Entertainment and Abandon Entertainment Acquire Rights to the
Ground-Breaking Video Game ``Max Payne''
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.--(ENTERTAINMENT
WIRE)--Aug. 9, 2001-- Collision Entertainment, headed by Paul
Rosenberg and Scott Faye, has acquired the film and television rights
to ``Max Payne,'' one of the most highly anticipated video game
releases of the last several years.
The hot property was optioned from game producer 3D Realms for both
theatrical and television adaptation. Dimension Films will distribute
domestically, with Abandon Entertainment handling international
distribution.
``Max Payne'' debuted in PC format July 25 with an impressive preorder
of more than 420,000 units worldwide. The game, which sold out
instantly at stores, will be released this fall on Sony's PlayStation
2, with a Microsoft Xbox version due later in 2002.
``Max Payne'' was recently named ``Best of Show'' at this year's
Electronic Entertainment Expo by no fewer than eight major industry
publications. Produced by 3D Realms and developed by Finnish studio
Remedy Entertainment, ``Max Payne'' is a stylish, urban,
revenge-driven action game based in New York City's grimy underworld.
Payne is a DEA operative deep undercover, snared between avenging the
mafia murders of his wife and child and being framed for the murder of
a fellow agent. It's a dark and seedy tale of corruption and murder,
blending the most popular elements from today's biggest box office
thrillers with the latest in video game technology.
``We are excited to have the opportunity to craft the next successful
video game icon into a larger-than-life film icon,'' said Faye of
Collision. ``We are extremely fortunate to have a great creative
partnership on this project with the game's creators, 3D Realms and
Remedy Entertainment. We hope this will be the first of many creative
collaborations.''
``Everything was tailored for `Max' to hit the big time,'' said Scott
Miller, chief executive officer of 3D Realms Entertainment. ``Most
developers and game publishers don't put a strong focus on characters
like they should, but we took a different tack with `Max.' We feel
that, with Collision's creativity and expertise, we have the next
great movie anti-hero on our hands.''
Andrew Rona, co-head of production; Michael Helfant, senior executive
vice president; and Michael Zoumas, senior vice president, development
and production, are overseeing the project for Dimension. Faye and
Rosenberg will produce for Collision. Marcus Ticotin, president and
CEO, and Karen Lauder, president, will oversee the project for
Abandon.
Helfant and Michael Marshall, senior director of business and legal
affairs, negotiated on behalf of Dimension.
About Collision Entertainment
Collision Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based development and
production company, is a joint venture between producers Paul
Rosenberg and Scott Faye, Abandon Entertainment and Dimension Films (a
division of Miramax Film Corp.).
As a diversified entertainment company, Collision will focus on
developing franchisable properties for exploitation across all media,
including film, television, animation, electronic games and the
Internet. With the creative talent and experience of Rosenberg and
Faye, and the financing and distribution of Abandon (foreign) and
Dimension (domestic), the company is strategically positioned to
create cutting-edge product in a variety of entertainment areas.
About Apogee Software Ltd.
Apogee Software Ltd., a.k.a. 3D Realms, based in Dallas, has been a
leading PC developer and shareware pioneer since 1987, with 35
published titles, including the ``Duke Nukem'' series, ``Wolfenstein
3-D,'' ``Raptor,'' ``Terminal Velocity'' and ``Commander Keen.''
Current projects include ``Duke Nukem Forever'' and two Miramax movies
based on ``Duke Nukem'' and ``Max Payne.'' (www.3drealms.com)
About Remedy Entertainment Ltd.
Remedy Entertainment Ltd., a privately held developer of action
computer games and game technology, is based in Espoo, Finland. The
company has developed its own leading-edge MAX-FX Technology(TM)
internally. Remedy has developed one of this year's most anticipated
games, ``Max Payne,'' for PC with this technology.
3D Realms, which has a track record of success in the industry, has
produced ``Max Payne.'' Remedy is working with Rockstar Games on a
PlayStation 2 port of ``Max Payne'' to be published by Take-Two
Interactive Software Inc. Remedy Entertainment is also a major
shareholder in MadOnion.com Ltd., which uses MAX-FX Technology in its
3D benchmarks (20 million distributed globally). (www.remedy.fi)
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