Actor Set to Star in and David Carson to Direct The Dresden Files Pilot from Lions Gate Television
NEW YORK (Nov. 9, 2005) — SCI FI Channel has cast Paul Blackthorne (24, Presidio Med) to star as Chicago-based wizard and detective Harry Dresden in The Dresden Files. Director David Carson (Star Trek Generations) has been tapped to helm the project. Production on the two-hour backdoor pilot film is set to commence in Toronto later this month, with plans for a Summer 2006 premiere.
The Dresden Files is being produced by Lions Gate Television, in association with Nicolas Cage's Saturn Films (The Life of David Gale, Shadow of the Vampire). Hans Beimler (The District , Profiler) and Robert Hewitt Wolfe (The 4400, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) will serve as executive producers alongside Cage; his Saturn Films partner, Norm Golightly; and Morgan Gendel (Law & Order , V.I.P.).
According to Cage, "Norm and I feel that Paul's passion for the part and talent will translate into a charismatic performance."
Best known for his acclaimed performance as the villainous Stephen Saunders on 24, Paul Blackthorne also starred in Presidio Med and in the feature film Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India. He has guest-starred on Medium and ER and has a recurring role on Deadwood . Blackthorne is represented by Seven Summits Pictures and Management and SDB Partners.
David Carson has directed numerous sci-fi hits, including the infamous Star Trek Generations feature film, in which Captain Kirk dies. His other credits include the pilots for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Strange Luck, Sons & Daughters, Celebrity and Odyssey 5 — all of which were successfully sold to series.
Based on the best-selling series of novels by Jim Butcher, The Dresden Files pilot, written by Beimler and Wolfe, tells the story of Harry Dresden, a Chicago-based private detective with extraordinary abilities. Where others see typical crimes of assault, kidnapping and murder, Harry sees otherworldly forces at work. He's a wizard, the real thing, the only wizard listed in the Chicago yellow pages. Whether consulting for the police on inexplicable crimes or following his own cases, Dresden does battle with the forces of darkness, always maintaining a wry sense of humor and a unique perspective on our world.
Lions Gate Television is the television production and distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF). With a total of four primetime series currently on the air, the company is an important supplier of content to cable and broadcast networks. Lions Gate Entertainment is the premier independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library is a valuable source of stable and recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the continued growth of the company's core businesses. The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
