Samuel Hadida to Wolfenstein as a Live Action Film

August 1, 2007

Samuel Hadida to Wolfenstein as a Live Action
Film

Roger Avary to Write and Direct

Samuel Hadida and Todd Hollenshead, CEO of Emmy®
Award-winning id Software announced today that Hadida’s Davis Films will bring
the famed video game franchise, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, to the big screen.
The first picture, a live action film, will be written and directed by Academy
Award®-winner Roger Avary. Based on the internationally renowned series that
created the action shooter genre of games, the film will draw from Return to
Castle Wolfenstein with its rich story and unique characters. Wolfenstein
reteams Hadida and Avary, who worked together most recently on last year’s box
office winner Silent Hill, produced by Hadida and written by Avary. Previously,
they teamed on Killing Zoe, produced by Hadida, and Rules of Attraction.

Avary’s credits also include Pulp Fiction, which
won him an Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay. His adaptation of
Beowulf, to be released November 16 by Paramount Pictures, is helmed by Robert
Zemeckis. Hadida has had great success with video game to film adaptations,
having produced the Resident Evil series with Constantin, Silent Hill, and the
upcoming Onimusha with director Christophe Gans.

Avary stated, “I’ve been playing the character of
B.J. Blazkowicz since the epic Wolfenstein3D first bruised my brain, and have
ever since wanted to bring his adventures to life on the big screen. For me,
Return to Castle Wolfenstein took my passion and desire to a whole new level. I
will endeavor to uphold not only the rich tradition of WWII guys on a mission
films, but to bring the world of Wolfenstein alive. There is no better team of
commandos to have at my side than my old producing partner Samuel Hadida and the
brilliant minds at id Software. It’s time to bust some dams, storm some bunkers,
and blow up some bridges. This is going to be insanely fun.”

Hadida added, “I am ecstatic that we have been
able to make this deal with id Software and that Roger is on board to bring the
games to cinematic live action. Roger’s passion for the Wolfenstein franchise
and his love of classic war movies will assure a motion picture experience that
satisfies die-hard gamers while also introducing fresh audiences to the
franchise.”

Todd Hollenshead noted, “The Wolfenstein
franchise has long been a personal favorite of mine. Not only is it the game
that created the genre, but its rugged hero and bizarre Nazi villains captured
the imagination of millions of fans. I’m pumped that we have Samuel’s production
acumen and Roger’s creative skills committed to making the movie as compelling
and successful as the games.”

The Wolfenstein video game franchise is set in
the European theater during World War II and focuses on one Allied soldier’s
extraordinary battle to defeat the Third Reich and their supernatural
experiments and augmented soldiers. Renowned for creating adrenaline pumping
games, revolutionary technological advances and iconic brands, id Software’s
upcoming video game Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars is slated for release later this
year, and their next game in the Wolfenstein series is also currently in
development. Id Software has previously done a film adaptation with their DOOM
game franchise.

In addition to Onimusha, Davis Films is currently
setting Solomon Kane for production later this year helmed by Michael Bassett
from his screenplay, and also Killing Suki Flood, to be directed by Louis
Couvelaire. Davis is finishing Resident Evil III: Extinction with Constantin for
Sony’s upcoming release, and is in development on the Silent Hill sequel and an
English language remake of Media Asia’s Exiled. The deal was brokered by
Creative Artists Agency.