LOS ANGELES (July 20, 2006) – Continuing its strategy to independently develop and produce a new slate of feature films, Marvel Studios - a subsidiary of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) - has signed top rising director Louis Leterrier to direct a new big screen adaptation of
The Incredible Hulk, based on the legendary Marvel Super Hero. The announcement was made today by Michael Helfant, President/COO of Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige, President of Production for Marvel Studios.
Leterrier recently directed
Transporter 2, which opened at the top of the box office earlier this year, as well as the critically-acclaimed Unleashed, starring Jet Li, Morgan Freeman and Bob Hoskins.
The Incredible Hulk will return to the roots of the long-running comic series, combining a well-developed character storyline with incredible action and fun. Zak Penn, who previously collaborated with Marvel on
X2 and this summer's smash hit
X-Men: The Last Stand, is writing the script. The project is being produced by Avi Arad, Kevin Feige and Gale Ann Hurd and will be executive produced by Michael Helfant and Ari Arad. Marvel Studios will begin casting immediately. No release date has been set.
"Leterrier has a tremendous passion for this genre and shares our vision for the new direction of the Incredible Hulk franchise, one of the gems of the Marvel Universe," said Kevin Feige. "We are very excited to be working with such a talented director to bring one of our pre-eminent Super Hero franchises back to the big screen, and we are certain that he will bring the Hulk to life in a way that will appeal to a mass audience as well as the core Super Hero fan base."
Leterrier will be formally introduced during a Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con International on Saturday, July 22.
Universal will distribute the Incredible Hulk domestically and in various international territories. This project, the second feature film to be produced independently by Marvel Entertainment, is expected to be financed through Marvel's $525 million revolving film financing facility.
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