In this Issue:

Resident Evil: Apocalypse to begin production
Pitof Discusses Catwoman
Millenium Films buys Aftermath
Cowboy Bebop: The Movie DVD release date set
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Resident Evil: Apocalypse to begin production

Resident Evil—Apocalypse, sequel to the video-game inspired 2002 zombie movie, is gearing up for production, the FilmJerk Web site reported. Sources told the site that the casting process has begun, in anticipation of a three-month shoot, beginning in late July.

Milla Jovovich (Alice) and Eric Mabius (Matt Addison) return, joined by new characters from the Resident Evil games: Jill Valentine, Carlos Olivera, Maj. Cain, Sherry Morales and others.

Resident Evil director Paul W.S. Anderson has not committed to directing, though he will produce and is writing the script, the site reported. Constantin Films remains the production company for the sequel, which is aiming for a 2004 release.
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Pitof Discusses Catwoman

Director Pitof, who is helming the upcoming Catwoman movie, told French magazine Allocine that the Halle Berry movie will have little to do with previous incarnations of the DC Comics character, according to a translation posted on the Superhero Hype Web site. "It's always difficult when you have such an icon or symbol, but everything is going to be different," he said.

Pitof added, "There will be no direct link with Batman, nor will there be Batman-esque imagery, and it won't be set in Gotham City. The story will be different, and the costume will be different. We aren't keeping anything from Catwoman except the original idea: the character. The idea is to begin her story from scratch, and possibly begin a franchise."

Pitof said that the movie is still in development. "We have Halle Berry interested in starring," he said. "Things are moving ahead, but I really can't tell you much more. The script isn't finished yet, and things are still a bit crazy. We hope to start filming in fall 2003 for a summer 2004 opening at least."
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Millenium Films buys Aftermath

Millennium Films has acquired Aftermath, an SF script by J.D. Zeik (Ronin) that will be directed by Alexander Witt, the Daredevil second-unit director making his feature-film directing bow, Variety reported. Aftermath is a futuristic story about a soldier who returns from a war, only to find another battle waiting for him as he tries to settle back into a peaceful life, the trade paper reported.

Witt has been the second-unit director on Black Hawk Down, Gladiator, The Bourne Identity and the upcoming The Italian Job, the trade paper reported. Shooting begins in late summer in Europe.
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Cowboy Bebop: The Movie DVD release date set

Cowboy Bebop: The Movie, based on the Japanese anime television show from Shinichiro Watanabe, will premiere June 24 in a special-edition DVD from Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment, following its national theatrical release, the studio announced. The special-edition DVD will feature bonus materials including behind-the-scenes featurettes, character profiles, music videos, storyboard comparisons, conceptual art galleries and more. The DVD carries a suggested retail price of $26.95.

The movie is set in the year 2071 A.D. and centers on the spaceship Bebop and Spike Spiegel and his crew of intergalactic bounty hunters as they try to find the parties behind a deadly Martian attack.
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