El Cosmico here, with the beginning of a writing spree, happy, SO happy to be bringing you the news that...well, oh screw it, here's the press release:
NEWS RELEASE TRANSMITTED BY CCN - A NEWSWIRE SERVICE OF ITG
FOR: SALTER STREET FILMS
TSE SYMBOL: SSF
SEPTEMBER 7, 2000 - 09:30 EDT
Salter Street Announces Greenlight for 4th Season of LEXX
HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA--Salter Street Films (TSE: SSF) announced today that its science fiction series, LEXX, has been re-ordered for a fourth season by the SCI FI Channel in the United States. The order follows LEXX's consistently strong ratings since its U.S. debut in January.
"LEXX is now a member of the very small group of truly Canadian originated series to find a U.S. audience," says Paul Donovan, Executive Producer. "With the SCI FI Channel order and our Canadian partner, CHUM's Space: The Imagination Station, in place we can proceed with planning for the fourth season for delivery in 2001."
SCI FI Channel has ordered a season of 24 one-hour episodes, which will bring the total number of LEXX episodes to 65, a number suitable for syndication.
LEXX premiered on the SCI FI Channel in January 2000 as part of SCI FI Prime, the Channel's successful Friday night of original programs, and since then has attracted broad media attention and solid ratings. Most recently, Xenia Seeberg, who plays the character Xev, was featured on the cover of the U.S. edition of TV Guide and in Maxim magazine.
Salter Street Films has named George Gross of G Squared Promotion Ltd. as its exclusive licensing agent for the U.S. and Canada for the purpose of launching a merchandising campaign to support LEXX. G Squared has been a top licensing agent for 15 years having also represented Lucasfilm (Star Wars), Leisure Concepts (Pokemon), Fox, Universal Studios, MGM and New Line Cinema.
"The fan base for LEXX has been growing hugely, worldwide, over the past 18 months," comments Paul Donovan. "With a new season of another 24 episodes on the way, we are now in a position to fully exploit merchandising potential in the U.S. market."
LEXX follows the nomadic existence of four misfit characters who have inadvertently stolen the most powerful weapon of destruction ever made: a Manhattan-sized, sentient, genetically modified insect named the Lexx. Unique and stylized, the show disregards orthodox science fiction storytelling methods and creates its own off-beat world. Together with its record-breaking use of Computer Generated Imagery, this has made LEXX a true original in the sci-fi genre.
LEXX stars Brian Downey as Stanley Tweedle, the bumbling and self-serving captain of the Lexx; Xenia Seeberg as Xev, the insatiable love slave with an attitude; and Michael McManus as Kai, a 6000 year old assassin who, despite the fact he is technically dead, is an invaluable member of the crew. They are joined in their adventures by the love struck robot head, 790.
In addition to SCI FI Channel (U.S.), LEXX has been sold in 100 countries around the globe and airs on CHUM Television's Space: The Imagination Station (Canada), Channel 5 (U.K.), Sci-Fi Channel (Europe) and Canal Plus (France). LEXX fans around the world have created over 100 spontaneous fan websites.
SCI FI Channel, owned and operated by USA Cable, a division of USA Networks, Inc.'s Entertainment unit (NASDAQ: USAI), transmits fantastic images to over 65 million human homes. Launched in 1992, SCI FI features a continuous stream of cinematic hits, new and original series, and special events, as well as classic sci-fi, fantasy, and horror programming. Check out SCIFI.COM, the SCI FI Channel's award-winning Web site, at www.scifi.com.
Salter Street Films (TSE: SSF) is an integrated entertainment company that develops, produces and distributes original film and television programming. Salter Street's television programs include the award-winning and top-rated comedy series This Hour Has 22 Minutes and Made in Canada (currently broadcast in the U.S. as The Industry on PBS affiliated stations); the second series of The Awful Truth with Michael Moore (for Bravo, The Film and Arts Network, and Channel 4 U.K.); Emily of New Moon (currently broadcast on Encore's WAM! family channel); and the science fiction series LEXX.
