MUMBAI: Spike TV is set to bring succesful comic book and movie franchise Blade to television. With this, the network marks its foray into scripted entertainment.
The Blade trilogy, which has earned more than $400 million worldwide, will be adapted into a two-hour original drama. Produced by New Line Television, Blade premieres on Spike TV in June 2006.
"Blade is perfectly suited for Spike TV and its male viewers," says Spike TV executive VP original programming Pancho Mansfield. "The new Blade promises to capture what men want to see: thrilling action and effects combined with an intelligent and highly creative story."
David S. Goyer, who wrote the screenplays for the Blade trilogy as well as Batman Begins, serves as executive producer and co-wrote the script with popular comic book author Geoff Johns. Peter O'Fallon (Suicide Kings, Eureka, American Gothic) serves as director, states an official release.
Spike TV's Blade focuses on Marvel's eponymous immortal warrior of the same name fighting a shadowy underworld of vampires who want to destroy the human race.
Kirk Sticky Jones (Over There) has been cast in the leading role of Blade. Jill Wagner (Monk), Neil Jackson (Stargate SG-1), Nelson Lee (Traffic, the TV mini-series) and Jessica Gower (Blurred) round out the cast for the tele-picture.