Press Release about "Crusade"

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Originally From: judge at america.net (Dirk A. Loedding)

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Babylon 5' Gives Birth To `Crusade'

Babylonian Productions Creates New Series and Two New
Made-For-Television

Movies For TNT

NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif., April 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Netter Digital
Entertainment Inc. (Nasdaq: NETT) (Netter) in association with J.
Michael Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd., announced today that
Babylonian Productions will produce an all-new original series for
Turner Network Television (TNT) called "CRUSADE" and has started
production on the third Babylon 5 original full-length movie,
"Babylon 5: The River of Souls," for TNT.

"We've spent the last five years building one of the most complex
and carefully thought-out science fiction universes in TV history,"
explains `CRUSADE' creator J. Michael Straczynski, and
creator/executive producer of the Hugo and Emmy award-winning series
Babylon 5. "For most of that time, we've been confined to the Babylon
5 station. Now, in 'CRUSADE,' we will have the unique opportunity to
go out and explore that universe in considerably more detail, seeing
strange new places and encountering ancient, forgotten cities which
hold secrets that may mean life or death for Earth. There are
million-year old vaults, opened at last; and new races making first
contact with humans in addition to explorations of the dozens of
worlds established in the Babylon 5 universe."

In "CRUSADE," the threat of the Shadows gone, all is quiet on Earth
-- too quiet. An alien race vows revenge for the loss of the Shadows
and aims its wrath at humans, unleashing a deadly biogenetic plague.
Only five years remain for the inhabitants of Earth unless an
Alliance ship, the Excalibur, succeeds in its quest to find a cure
for the mutating plague.

"CRUSADE" launches with the spectacular two-hour TNT original film
"A Call To Arms." In addition, an ancient vault filled with relics
believed to hold the secret to eternal life is the centerpiece of
the previously announced two- hour film, "Babylon 5: The River of
Souls." Martin Sheen ("The American President," "Apocalypse Now"),
Ian McShane and series stars Tracy Scoggins, Jerry Doyle, Richard
Biggs and Jeff Conaway will headline TNT's third Babylon 5
full-length movie.

"'River of Souls' and 'A Call to Arms' both help to set the tone for
this new series by presenting first takes on a new form of science
fiction for television: archaeological SF, in which ancient secrets
have an impact on current situations, and a more action-oriented
tone, with greater humor and more emphasis on characterization.
These are for fun, a chance to break out and go nuts. I've been
doing angst for five years now; these films are going to be a hoot,"
says Straczynski.

Douglas Netter, Chairman, CEO and President of Netter, and series
creator J. Michael Straczynski will executive-produce the new series
and two-hour films, scripted by Straczynski for Babylonian
Productions. Warner Bros. licensed the series and film.

Netter Digital Technologies, a division of Netter, which currently
provides the special effects for Babylon 5, is creating the effects
for the new movies and "CRUSADE" series.

John Copeland, producer of Babylon 5 and executive vice president of
Netter says, "In our industry, it is rare to have the level of
international success that we have been so fortunate to attain with
Babylon 5. Our international audience has been nothing short of
steadfast in its devotion to the characters and the stories of
Babylon 5. 'CRUSADE' will continue in this vein; striving to break
new ground in special effects, character, plot and ingenuity.

"We are pleased once again to have TNT and Warner Bros. as our
partners in moving forward in this newer millennium and to know of
their plans to produce additional TNT Babylon 5 movies," says
Douglas Netter. "We are equally as pleased to have our qualified and
dedicated staff, working on these new exciting projects."

Turner Network Television (TNT), currently seen in more than 72
million homes, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour,
advertiser-supported service offering original motion pictures and
series; contemporary films from the worlds largest film library, the
combined Turner and Warner Bros. film libraries; exciting NBA sports
action; popular television series; and timeless cartoons.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc.,
is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the
world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable
industry.

Netter Digital Entertainment, Inc. is engaged in the acquisition,
development and production of television series, made for television
movies, documentaries, theatrical motion pictures and multimedia
products. The Babylon 5 television series is produced in association
with J. Michael Straczynski's Synthetic Worlds, Ltd. under Babylonian
Productions which Netter Digital is the majority owner. The series
airs on the TNT Network. The company's wholly owned subsidiary,
Videssence, Inc., provides high tech media lighting products for the
entertainment, electronic news and video conferencing/distant
learning markets. Netter recently entered the business of providing
digital media production services to outside clients through a newly
formed division, Netter Digital Technologies.



-- 
+------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|   Dirk A. Loedding               <*>               judge at america.net   |
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