Exodus Film Group announces the addition of two new projects in the studio’s lineup: The Hero of Color City and Amarillo Armadillo. The two new projects come as a response to the industry buzz surrounding Exodus’ first CGI film Igor, which is still in production and scheduled for a 2007 theatrical release. All three films come from Exodus’ $50 million film fund. To read further about each of Exodus Film Group’s animated projects, click “More” to see the studio’s press release.
Exodus Gets Colorful With Two New CG-Animated Films
VENICE, CA (May 31, 2005) – Exodus Film Group today announced the addition of two CG-animated features to their film slate – The Hero of Color City and Amarillo Armadillo. These two films are a direct response to overwhelming industry and investor interest in Exodus’ CG-Animated film Igor, which is currently in production. These films, along with Igor, make up the slate of Exodus’ $50 million film fund and represents Exodus’ decision to position itself as one of the first private equity animation film funds in the entertainment industry, capitalizing on the industry’s robust demand for animation properties. An Igor short is in production and features the voice of Christian Slater in the title role. The film’s theatrical release is anticipated in 2007.
Veteran animation executive Max Howard (Lion King, Aladdin, Space Jam) will executive produce both films with animation created by Exodus’ award-winning partner ElectroAge.
The Hero of Color City is an imaginative tale chronicling the adventures of a colorful band of crayons as they strive to protect their magical, multi-hued homeland from an evil tyrant that threatens to rid their world of all joy and color. Replete with life lessons, this story promises to entertain and inspire in a vibrant and humorous CG world. The script was written by J.P. McCormick and Rich Raczelowski.
Amarillo Armadillo, a comedic adventure written by Robert S. Kahn, follows an unlikely trio across 1920’s Texas in a humorous battle against Man and Mother Nature. Our story follows Montie, a hapless, ne’er-do-well British oil prospector, Oliver, a love-struck armadillo and Uriah, a cynical horned-toad as they attempt to find and rescue one of their own – Oliver’s true-love Arabella. In a roller-coaster ride of danger, near misses, and utter confusion, they face some of the wackiest characters to ever come out of Texas. Their adventure allows Montie & friends to conquer fears and obstacles none could have faced alone and, in the end, discover the true value of courage, friendship, and love.
“We’re excited about moving forward with an all-animated film fund” said Exodus’ President John D. Eraklis. “In addition to the box office potential of these films, we believe that the licensing and merchandising aspect of our animation properties will be among their greatest strengths, and we fully intend to take advantage of these properties’ exceptionally well-suited presence in the ancillary market.”
“We’re very fortunate to have discovered these two additional animated projects,” added Howard. “Our focus continues to be about original, imaginative stories with clever writing and we’ve definitely found that with these projects.”
In addition to executive producing Igor, Howard is also producing the CG-animated/live action feature Pavlov’s Dog, a co-production between Howard’s Melwood Pictures and Exodus.
Kahn has worked in the entertainment industry for over 20 years: first as an agent, then in the cable industry and now a writer. He has sold and optioned numerous projects over the last several years and co-produced the award-winning short film An Eye For Talent.
ABOUT EXODUS FILM GROUP
Led by President & CEO John D. Eraklis, Exodus Film Group was founded in 2001 in an effort to create a one-stop entertainment company capable of producing content equal in quality to the studios and networks on a realistic budget. Exodus acquires, develops and finances intellectual properties, taking them from inception to distribution.
Exodus’ exclusive animation partner ElectroAge has won numerous awards for their exceptional work, including an Emmy and several Emmy nominations. Noted projects include: The Real Adventures of Jonny Quest (Hanna Barbera), Roughnecks Starship Troopers Chronicles (Sony Television), Star Trek Voyager (Paramount), Mystic Knights (Saban), The Visitor (20th Century Fox/Centropolis Television) and Deep Rising (Hollywood Pictures).
Igor is an irreverent comedy with a new twist on the classic mad scientist/monster genre. It tells the story of a mad scientist’s hunchbacked lab assistant who has big dreams of becoming a mad scientist in his own right and winning the coveted first place award at the annual Evil Science Fair. The cutting edge animation for Igor is being created by Exodus’ award-winning partner ElectroAge. The short film, Igor: Unholy Frijoles features the voice talent of Christian Slater. Both the Igor short and feature were written by Chris McKenna. Fil Barlow, an Emmy-winning production designer on Porchlight’s animated TV series, Tutenstein, is directing the short. Barlow also designed characters for such projects as Heavy Gear: The Animated Series and The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury. The films are being executive produced by Max Howard (Space Jam, Pocahontas, Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Who Framed Roger Rabbit).
In addition to its animation slate, Exodus’ live action films include Bunyan and Babe, Pavlov’s Dog, 55 Holly Star, and My Life With 3 Women.
Bunyan and Babe is being directed by renowned visual effects director and three-time Academy Award winner Jim Rygiel (The Lord of the Rings films, 102 Dalmatians, Anna and the King, Star Trek: Insurrection, The Parent Trap). Set in modern times, Bunyan and Babe is a live-action family adventure film adaptation of the legend of Paul Bunyan, featuring the voice of Eddie Griffin (DysFunktional Family, Scary Movie 3, Pinocchio, Undercover Brother) as the CGI-animated Babe the Blue Ox. Bunyan and Babe tells the story of Bunyan’s attempts, with the help of a couple of kids, to rescue his ox from the evil clutches of a demented circus owner. The team also includes Executive Producer Tarquin Gotch (Home Alone, Dutch, Curly Sue) and award-winning Composer Basil Poledouris (Blue Lagoon, Les Miserables, The Jungle Book, Free Willy films).
Billed as “One flea’s struggle to rid himself of pests,” Pavlov’s Dog follows Pavlov, an uptight flea from out-of-town that catches a greyhound to the big city in order to claim his inheritance… a canine “property.” Once there, Pavlov finds himself waging a suburban war against the rambunctious, untidy and comical misfits who plague his life and mess up his neighborhood. Although Pavlov eventually succeeds in his quest to create an orderly Utopia, along the way he discovers that, as a parasite in paradise, what gave his life richness and diversity was the very thing he destroyed. This CG-animated/live action feature film was written by world-famous magician and illusionist Nicholas Night and celebrated comic and former Seinfeld scribe Pat Hazell. Night is best known for his artist-themed illusion show which has been presented in more than 30 countries over the past 15 years and featured on ABC-TV’s Champions of Magic. Veteran Disney animator Leon Joosen is attached to direct. He most recently was animation director on both hit Scooby Doo films and at the pioneering CGI studio, Rhythm and Hues. Pavlov’s Dog is a co-production between Melwood Pictures and Exodus.
55 Holly Star is a Capra-esque tale of a young down-on-his-luck salesman whose life changes dramatically after a Near Death Experience. Written and directed by Michael A. Nickles (This Is Not A Film – Savannah Film Festival Jury Award), the film is a whimsical, comedic adventure of one man’s desperate attempts to uncover a forgotten childhood memory that contains clues to buried treasure.
An adventure/comedy based on a true story, My Life With 3 Women, follows a Santa Barbara, California man whose midlife crisis leads him to set sail on the open seas in search of a life change. An advertisement for one crewman inadvertently results in his ending up with three crew-women onboard. The production team includes Producer Tarquin Gotch and Executive Producer Peter Faiman (FernGully: The Last Rainforest, Dutch, Crocodile Dundee).
