craig-parker.net > Articles > Underworld 3: Rise of the Lycans Announcement
LAKESHORE ENTERTAINMENT AND SCREEN GEMS ANNOUNCE
UNDERWORLD 3: THE RISE OF THE LYCANS
* LEN WISEMAN TO PRODUCE WITH LAKESHORE
* SCREEN GEMS TO DISTRIBUTE IN NORTH AMERICA
* SHEEN AND NIGHY TO STAR WITH RHONA MITRA
* FX GURU: PATRICK TATOPOULOS TO DIRECT
Los Angeles, October 25 2007 – Lakeshore
Entertainment's Chairman and CEO Tom Rosenberg and Screen Gems' President Clint
Culpepper jointly announced the third feature in the UNDERWORLD series, the prequel
story, UNDERWORLD 3: THE RISE OF THE LYCANS. UNDERWORLD creator Len Wiseman (UNDERWORLD,
UNDERWORLD EVOLUTION, LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD) will produce the film with Lakeshore’s
Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi and Skip Williamson. The film will be directed by
award-winning special effects designer Patrick Tatopoulos and star award-winning
actor Michael Sheen (THE QUEEN) and Golden Globe winner Bill Nighy (PIRATES OF
THE CARIBBEAN: THE WORLD’S END) who reprise their starring roles of Lucian,
the dark Lycan master, and Viktor, the ruling Vampire elder alongside Rhona Mitra,
who will play Viktor’s daughter Sonja. Sony’s Screen Gems will distribute
the film in North America with Sony and Lakeshore distributing throughout the
world.
Lakeshore and Screen Gems’ UNDERWORLD and UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION exceeded
a combined box office of over $200 million worldwide.
The third installment of the highly successful Underworld franchise traces
the origins of the centuries old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires
known
as Death Dealers and their one-time slaves, the Lycans. In this action-packed
tale set in the Dark Ages, a young Lycan named Lucian (Michael Sheen) emerges
as a powerful leader who rallies the werewolves to rise up against Viktor (Bill
Nighy), the cruel vampire king who has enslaved them. Lucian is joined by his
secret lover, Viktor’s beautiful daughter Sonja (Mitra), in his heroic
battle against the Death Dealer army and his struggle for Lycan freedom.
Tom Rosenberg stated: “We are delighted to continue our creative collaboration
with Len on this highly original story.” Continued Rosenberg, “We
are also extremely pleased to be partnering with our friends at Screen Gems,
as Clint Culpepper and his team are integral to the success of this franchise.”
Lakeshore and Screen Gems have enjoyed a highly successful collaboration in
recent years with UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION, UNDERWORLD, and the EXORCISM OF EMILY
ROSE,
all of which opened at the number one spot at U.S. box office. They previously
partnered on THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES starring Richard Gere, and Screen Gems
will release one of Lakeshore’s latest features, UNTRACEABLE, starring Diane
Lane, Colin Hanks and Joseph Cross, and directed by Gregory Hoblit in North America
on January 25th, 2008.
Len Wiseman added: “For the first time we will experience the UNDERWORLD
universe through the eyes of the Lycans.” He continued, "Patrick has
always played such an essential part in helping to create UNDERWORLD from the
start. His creatures alone have given the stories such authenticity and realism.
We have a terrific working relationship, and a shared vision of the world and
its characters, so I feel it is both exciting and fitting that Patrick now takes
the helm on “Rise of the Lycans.”
Patrick Tatopoulos, who makes his directorial debut for Lakeshore on UNDERWORLD
3: RISE OF THE LYCANS, has worked with the company on PATHOLOGY, and CRANK,
in addition to UNDERWORLD and UNDERWORLD EVOLUTION.
Tatopoulos is also a frequent collaborator of directors Len Wiseman (UNDERWORLD,
UNDERWORLD EVOLUTION, LIVE FREE or DIE HARD) and Roland Emmerich where he recently
worked on 10,000 BC as well as INDEPENDENCE DAY, and GODZILLA. Patrick’s
other upcoming film is I AM LEGEND starring Will Smith. Tatopoulos was production
designer on UNDERWORLD: EVOLUTION, and most recently worked with Wiseman as the
production designer on the international action hit LIVE FREE or DIE HARD. A
master of creature design, he created the creature effects for both previous
UNDERWORLD features. Also a renowned visual artist (THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK
and VAN HELSING), Tatopoulos’ original design talents are on display in
RESIDENT EVIL: EXTINCTION.
UNDERWORLD 3: RISE OF THE LYCANS will commence production in January 2008 on
location in Auckland, New Zealand. The screenplay was written by Danny McBride
who previously co-wrote the first two EVOLUTION features with Wiseman.
Wiseman started his career in the art department on blockbuster special effects
features such as GODZILLA, MEN IN BLACK and INDEPENDENCE DAY. He wrote and
directed both UNDERWORLD and UNDERWORLD EVOLUTION, and most recently directed
Bruce Willis
in the action hit LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD. He is represented by ICM.
Multiple award-winning actor Michael Sheen’s (Lucian) recent film credits
include his critically acclaimed starring role as Prime Minister Tony Blair in
last year’s award-winning feature THE QUEEN, and previously BLOOD DIAMOND
opposite Leonardo diCaprio. He is currently shooting FROST/NIXON, starring as
David Frost directed by Ron Howard. He will next be seen starring in the Richard
Pimental biopic MUSIC WITHIN.
Critically acclaimed actor Bill Nighy (Viktor) recently completed production
on VALKYRIE starring opposite Tom Cruise. A Golden Globe winner (GIRL IN THE
CAFÉ), Nighy has also won BAFTA awards for his roles in LOVE ACTUALLY
and STATE OF PLAY. His recent credits include the international award winning
NOTES ON A SCANDAL. Nighy is best known to international audiences for his role
as, Davy Jones, in the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN films.
Rhona Mitra first appeared to audiences with her breakout role as ‘Tara
Wilson’ on the final season of the television series “The Practice.” She
reprised her role as the sexy attorney for producer David E. Kelly on ABC’s “Boston
Legal.” In 2007, Mitra starred alongside Jim Carrey in THE NUMBER 23 for
director Joel Schumacher, followed by SHOOTER opposite Mark Wahlberg for director
Antoine Fuqua and the thriller SKINWALKERS. Her film credits include Universal
Pictures’ THE LIFE OF DAVID GALE opposite Kevin Spacey, HIGHWAYMEN opposite
Jim Caviezel, SWEET HOME ALABAMA with Reese Witherspoon, Working Title’s
ALI G IN DA HOUSE, HOLLOWMAN, and GET CARTER. Mitra will next be seen in DOOMSDAY,
for director Neil Marshall (THE DESCENT)
Lakeshore is currently in pre-production on its futuristic thriller GAME, starring
Gerard Butler (300), from the CRANK team of Neveldine and Taylor.