TO: Game Designers/Artists/Programmers/Engineers/ Marketing & Sales,

Williams Entertainment, etc.

FROM: Roger Sharpe

SUBJECT: LICENSED PROPERTIES UPDATE REPORT FOR 1996 AND THE

FIRST SCHEDULING OF PROPERTIES/PROJECTS FOR 1997 AND

BEYOND

What follows is the ongoing identification of major (and many not so ‘major’) film

projects/books/etc. that either are coming to theatres, TV or book shelves soon or appear

to be fertile subject matter for potential game application whether it be video, pinball,

novelty amusement equipment or the vast range of home software platforms.

By no means is this listing complete. There are always sleepers and less ambitious

undertakings that can surprise everyone. However, the hope is that some of my personal

pre-editing and judgement calling is as accurate as any forecasting can be. Properties that

appear to have some potential for reason of recognizeability or scope (from the standpoint

of marketing support and/or “franchise potential) are bolded because I deem them to be

viable candidates for consideration. Also, possible trends can emerge as indicators of

where entertainment may be going in the near future.

COMPETITIVE LICENSING ACTIVITIES/PROPERTY ACQUISITIONS

JACKIE CHAN (Kaneko Coin-Op)

PRIVATE PARTS: The Howard Stern Story (Sega Pinball)

X-FILES (Sega Pinball)

CUTTHROAT ISLAND (Acclaim Coin-Op & Home video)

TWISTER (Sega Pinball)

INDEPENDENCE DAY (Sega Pinball & Fox Interactive for Home video)

SPACE JAM (Sega Pinball and Acclaim for Video)

THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS (Acclaim Coin-Op & Home Video)

MUTANT CHRONICLES (Acclaim Coin-Op & Home Video)

BARB WIRE (Premier Pinball)

JURASSIC PARK II (DreamWorks Interactive)

JOHNNY QUEST (Virgin Interactive CD-ROM)

TERRATOPIA (Virgin Interactive CD-ROM)

STARSHIP TROOPERS (Microprose for home software)

DRAGONHEART (Acclaim Home Video)

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING (T*HQ for Home video)

GOLDENEYE (Bally Gaming for slot machines)

TENTATIVE LISTING FOR 1996 FILM PROJECTS:

Spring

MULHOLLAND FALLS (late April)

BARB WIRE (May 3rd)

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (May 22nd)

DRAGONHEART (May 31st)

FIERCE CREATURES

WILD SPACE

STRIPTEASE (late May)

TWISTER

BAD BOYS II

Summer

THE RELIC DAYLIGHT A VERY BRADY SEQUEL

SHOCKWAVE SPAWN CHAIN REACTION

THE ROCK FLED INDEPENDENCE DAY (July 4th)

THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS HAVE GUN WILL TRAVEL

PINOCCHIO ANACONDA CABLE GUY (June 14th)

THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Disney animation)--June 21st

McHALE’S NAVY (July 4th) THE PHANTOM (June 7th)

ERASER (June 21st) KAZAAM (Shaq as a genie)--release July 17th

A TIME TO KILL ESCAPE FROM L.A.

Fall

THE CROW II SPACE JAM THE EIGHTEENTH ANGEL

SANDBLAST SEA HUNT BEAVIS AND BUTT-HEAD

GOOSEBUMPS FORBIDDEN PLANET

ISLAND OF DR. MOREAU SUPERNOVA (MGM/UA)

Winter

FAHRENHEIT 451 AMPHIBIAN X-MEN

STAR TREK: GENERATIONS II THE MUTANT CHRONICLES

THE SAINT TARZAN EVITA

LAUREL & HARDY’S JUNGLE BUNGLE

PRELIMINARY SUMMER 1997 MOVIE LINE-UP

BATMAN IV (BATMAN & ROBIN) FREDDY VS. JASON

STARSHIP TROOPERS MARS ATTACKS THE FIFTH ELEMENT

MEN IN BLACK JURASSIC PARK II (THE LOST WORLD)

VOLCANO SPEED RACER SCOOBY DOO

THE JETSONS PRINCE VALIANT COMBAT

TITANIC ZORRO

TITANIC--the new James Cameron film from 20th Century Fox with possible release for

spring or summer of 1997; storyline to begin back in 1912 and lead up to the

salvage operation of a couple of years ago; a historical/action period piece with

production to start summer ‘96 and one star to be Kate Winslet (Sense and

Sensibility)

SHOCKWAVE--for summer ‘96 from Live Entertainment; director is David Twohy

(screenwriter for “The Fugitive” and “Waterworld”), star is Charlie Sheen as a

renegade scientist who, while probing the origin of radio waves from outer space,

stumbles on the seeds of a worldwide alien invasion

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND--in development at Paramount with possiblity of

Tom Hanks playing the main character Valentine Michael Smith from this Robert

Heinlein 1961 sci-fi classic (should become a ‘hot’ property if “Starship Troopers”

hits big)

THE STOPWATCH GANG--from TriStar and Jonathan Demme with a 9/96 start of a

story about 3 cons (a woman and two men) who pull off a heist and evade the

police for only a time before being captured and then planning their escape

GOOSEBUMPS--the hugely successful book property (over 90 million books in print)

from R.L. Stine; a new animated series on Fox and soon to be a major motion

picture from Fox as well as an impressive line-up of toys and games from Hasbro

GUNDOWN--from New Line with Bruce Willis and Bruce Dern/Walter Hill directing in

what is something of a remake of Kruosawa’s “Yojimbo” that was the inspiration

for a “Fistful of Dollars”; in this version we have a gangster picture during

prohibition times battling over the liquor business in Texas

THE BLACK BOX--from Disney, a new action thriller with Jim Wedaa attached as

producer and a storyline of what happens when a UFO crashes and a young

architect stumbles on the equivalent of the UFO’s black box which is sending out

its SOS signal to everybody on Earth and throughout the universe; initially one

take on the plot is ‘The Fugitive’ meets ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind’

PSI-FACTOR--with Dan Aykroyd as host for a new syndicated series about real

paranormal phenomena set to launch in 1996 from MaXaM Entertainment and

Canada’s Atlantis Films Ltd

BLUE VISION--possible next project as director for Spielberg which is a scary

psychological thriller written by a Brit named Bruce Robinson

JAY LENO/THE TONIGHT SHOW--Jay has created some distinct characters as part of

his show and the opportunity exists to attempt to create game play around it for

either video or, what might be the easier adaptation, a pinball machine

ABOMINABLE--from Universal with Jean-Calude Van Damme and Moshe Diamant

(Time Cop) as producer in a story about a United Nations task force investigating

the mysterious disappearnace of Red Cross workers in the Himalayas where,

ultimately, our star faces off against the Abominable Snowman

MADMAN--this Dark Horse cult comic book comes to the big screen via Universal with

Ben Myron and David Helpern as producers and Mike Allred (creator of this

superhero who has a costume that covers a body disfigured from a car accident

with no memory of his past life) exec-producing

LAUREL & HARDY--possibility of a new franchise with feature films and casting

potentially to include Dan Aykroyd, John Goodman or Chris Farley along with

Rowan Atkinson (from Larry Harmon of Bozo fame)

MARS ATTACKS--based on the Topps card set from the Fifties coming to the big screen

via Warner Bros and Tim Burton for summer ‘97 with Pierce Brosnan cast as a

wacky scientist who warns the world of its impending doom; also starring are

Sarah Jessica Parker, Jack Nicholson, Rod Steiger and Glenn Close in what might

come off as “Beetlejuice” meets the Martians complete with Slim Whitman music

and Tom Jones script in-house

MAD MAX: THE ROAD WARRIOR--a new TV series and line of toys from Warner

Bros with a plan to launch spring ‘97; also in the planning stages with George

Miller as director would be another feature film for possible release in summer ‘98

DINOTOPIA (A Land Apart From Time)--based on the best seller from James Gurney,

now to be a feature film with Ken Ralston attached as director for Sony/Columbia

and Lynda Guber (wife of Peter Guber former head of Sony Pictures) producing

what will be a high profile effects and animation project with a budget of $80 -

$100 million and a two year pre-production cycle for a summer ‘98 release

THE COLONY--from Sony Pictures to star Jean-Claude Van Damme in a story about a

place where the greatest spies of all time are sent after their covers are blown; with

the lead character needing to escape in order to go after his arch enemy

SOLDIER OF FORTUNE--this rather unique magazine is building a greater presence with

a new life action hour-long TV series in asssociation with Rysher Entertainment;

production for the pilot two hour special begins this spring with the intent to

premiere episodes in the fall that center on an elite crime-fighting group

LEAVE IT TO BEAVER--to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first TV episode (fall

1997), Universal will release a new feature length film with Andy Cadiff (“Home

Improvement”) to direct and producers to be Brian Levant and Robert Simonds;

script from Levant and Lon Diamond with a projected start date of May ‘96

WARRIORS OF VIRTUE--from MGM/UA a live action feature film with production in

China and L.A. starting 1/96 focusing on five super hero kung fu kangaroos (not

to be confused with ninja turtles); also a digital animation TV series for 1997

LOST IN SPACE--from New Line with a planned release in 1998

SECRET SMILE--from Warner Bros, the next Steven Seagal film to be shot in the L.A.

and D.C. area with Seagal starring as a CIA agent (a real character stretch) who

must use mind enhancement drugs in order to track down a villain who has used

the same drug

DRAGONHEART--an epic adventure/event film and an animated TV series to premier in

fall ‘96 to help support major toy launch

THE THREE STOOGES--a whole new merchandising push from Columbia/Sony with

plans as well for a new casting and feature film in 1997 along with more visibility

for the classic shorts on cable and in syndication

TERRY AND THE PIRATES--classic comic strip was relaunched in March 1995 via the

Tribune Media Syndicate with plans for a live action TV series to premiere in 1996

I SPY--coming from Cinergi Films, based on the old Robert Culp/Bill Cosby TV series

that aired from 1965-68; comes an all new feature film about top government

agents undercover as a tennis pro and manager/trainer

JAMES BOND--yet another film from MGM/UA to star Pierce Brosnan and scripted by

Bruce Feirstein is due to hit screens in the summer or fall of 1997

THE SAINT--(Paramount) based on the series of books and characters created by Leslie

Charteris and made famous in the 1960s TV series that starred Roger Moore. This

time around Simon Templar (The Saint) is hired to steal a secret cold fusion

formula from an attractive female American scientist; and the adventure takes him

to Russia where he discovers the formula is part of a plot to overthrow the Russian

government; producer is David Brown and Marc Neufeld/director is Philip Noyce

(Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger) and script from Wesley Strick; with

Val Kilmer set to star along with Elisabeth Shue and filming to start spring ‘96 for

a release as yet to be determined in 1996 (winter?) script in-house

DEEP BLUE SEA--from Warner Bros written by Duncan Kennedy and John Zinman

focusing on an undersea adventure about a group of scientists who, through,

biomedical engineering are able to breed faster, smarter and more vicious sharks

with the idea to create a sportmen’s paradise (ala Jurassic Park) but things, of

course, get out of hand and control

MTV’S AEON FLUX--highly rated animated series that has been spun off from their

‘Liquid Television’ programming with a push now to more fully merchandise this

entity videotape of four episodes and supportive material in-house

A FIVE YEAR PLAN--a new book series from Philip Kerr under the pseudonym Thomas

Brodie that is soon to hit book shelves centering around a con man who

masterminds a high seas heist of 20 luxury yachts; interest from Tom Cruise and

Paramount

THE FOUNTAINHEAD--the Ayn Rand novel comes to the big screen via Illusion

Entertainment and Turner Pictures

DRAGONLANCE--from TSR, the fantasy series is going into animation from Nelvana

PRINCE VALIANT--through Hearst and Paramount Pictures with director Anthony

Hickox beginning production spring ‘96 for a summer ‘97 release; starring Stephen

Moyer in the title role along with Katherine Heigl, Ron Perlman and Udo Keir in a

story that follows the travails of a prince from Thule who wants to become a

Knight of the Round Table

LUNATIC FRINGE--from LIVE Entertainment, a sci-fi action thriller about a group of

prisoners who are recruited to rob another planet’s gold reserves only to discover

when they reach the planet that their real mission is to save thousands of prisoners

who are being held hostage by a group of intergalactic planet raiders--’Dirty

Dozen’ in space?

SPECIES--a potential sequel or two from MGM is in the planning stages with Peter

Lenkov doing one (he wrote the original) and Chris Brancato doing the other; also

potential plans for a live action TV series for 1998

SPACE TRUCKERS--a sci-fi action film directed by Stuart Gordon with script from Tedd

Mann, starring Dennis Hopper, Stephen Dorff, Debi Mazer and George Wendt

AFTERLIFE--from Columbia, a sci-fi adventure with possibility of Chris O’Donnell

starring in a story about a scientist’s mind is implanted in the body of a younger

man who turns out to be a serial killer

BATTLEFIELD EARTH--from MGM with John Travolta set to star in this L.Ron

Hubbard (“Dianetics”) sci-fi epoch about a rebellion in a futuristic Earth being

taken over by an alien force and the human survivors who stand up and revolt; J.D.

Shapiro is writing the script

SEA HUNT--the old TV series (that made Lloyd Bridges a star as Mike Nelson) brought

back to life from MGM with a script from Peter Benchley and Tony Peckham

WILD WILD WEST--still in development from Warner Bros for a big screen treatment

by Jon Peters and the hope to get Tom Cruise to star in Robert Conrad’s role

SCOOBY DOO--from Turner Pictures, a live action feature film version (for possible

1997 release) with the same characters as the late ‘60s cartoon including a talking

dog, his human buddy Shaggy and the rest of the band of friends including Freddy,

Velma and Daphne; with a possible plot line being a mystery set in the present day

being penned by Craig Titley and in development with Dawn Steel’s Atlas

Entertainment

OUTRIDER--through Neufeld/Rehme Productions and Paramount , a feature in

development that’s a Western adventure about a young deputy’s pursuit of a

notorious outlaw who has escaped from prison; although a fictional story the plan

is to feature historical characters

NEANDERTHAL--could be first feature from Dreamworks based on upcoming novel

from Random House (by John Darnton) about the discovery of a long lost tribe of

Neanderthals found in an obscure part of the former republic of the Soviet Union

AN EYE FOR AN EYE--working title from Castle Rock as possible vehicle for Tom

Cruise about the real life head of an elite team of commandos avenging terrorists

CATAPULT--from Mario Kassar through Paramount that mixes “In The Line Of Fire”

with “Crimson Tide” about an aircraft carrier in a war zone that has been out to

sea for too long and the quest to find a serial killer that is eliminating many of the

8,000 crewmen on board

HENSON PRODUCTIONS--looking to enter into a strategic alliance with us for many

of their properties across the board--including an upcoming merchandising

program focused on Animal; also a new MUPPET TONIGHT! Show to premier

on ABC in spring ‘96; in addition development is ongoing for a fall 1996 entity

called Silver Dolphins

THE OSIRIS CHRONICLES--an upcoming new CBS sci-fi series from Paramount with

Caleb Carr (The Alienist) and Joe Dante (The Howling) attached with March ‘96

launch on TV

STORM WARNING--Mario Kassar (Carolco) resurfaces at Paramount Pictures with a

project to be written by Robert Ozin and Colin Greene and co-prodcuers to be

Greg Davis and Paul DeSouza; storyline is about a scientist who creates a machine

that can control the weather, which is then stolen by the bad guys who unleash a

hurricane that’s headed to New York giving this some familiar elements of “No

Way Out” and “Twister”

AMBROSE CHAPEL--a suspense thriller in development from MGM with Brian

DePalma as director/producer; story about a female reporter in Miami who

unwittingly becomes a pawn in a potential presidential assassination

BEETLE BAILEY--from 2,000 Hearst newspapers as a daily comic strip since 1950, a

new feature film from Fox with Bob and Peter Farelly (“Dumb and Dumber”)

producing (Hearst keeping merchandising rights); writers to be Dan Ljoka and

Patrick Kopka (“Curse of the Bambino”) and Harlan Williams (“Simon”) being

considered to star as the laziest private in the Army

BATMAN IV--(a.k.a. Batman and Robin) with yet another new star as the Caped

producing

CON AIR--from Touchstone Pictures with Jerry Bruckheimer to produce and Simon West

to direct; based on a script from Scott Rosenberg about convicts who take over a

plane; to star Nicholas Cage and John Cusack

THE LAST SIX MILLION SECONDS--from 20th Century Fox based on a book by John

Burdett (to be published by Morrow in early ‘97) about the changeover of control

of Hong Kong from the British to the Chinese in 1997; the mystery thriller takes

place on the eve of the switch and involves a murder, a Hong Kong cop who is

part European and Asian and a missing girl; Jan De Bont (“Twister” and “Speed”)

is attached to produce and direct

THE DAY OF THE JACKAL--from Universal, a remake of the 1973 film with Michael

Caton-Jones to direct what will be a contemporary thriller about an assassination

attempt on the head of the FBI which follows the opening of an FBI office in

Moscow that is investigating the Russian criminal organizations; possibility of

Matthew McConaughey (“Dazed and Confused”) to star

AIR FORCE--from Columbia Pictures with Wolfgang Petersen to possibly direct this

Harrison Ford starrer written by Andrew Marlowe and producers to be Armyan

Bernstein and Marc Abraham; movie storyline (with a start date of Sept ‘96)

centers on a president on Air Force One who takes matters into his own hands

when he finds himself in jeopardy from terrorists

DEEP RISING--from Hollywood Pictures with Treat Williams to star in this action thriller

as a smuggler in a group of gun runners who come across an almost entirely

deserted luxury cruise ship only to discover that there’s a killer creature to content

with; written and directed by Stephen Sommers and producers are Larry Mark and

John Baldecchi

FEVER--from Columbia with a spec screenplay from Dave Ryan about a medical student

working as a morgue attendant who uncovers a deadly plot to infect the Third

World with a fatal disease

MULLKON EMPIRE--from the pen of John Jakes author of “North and South” and

numerous other books comes a live action TV series via BIG Entertainment of

Boca Raton, Fla and Alliance Communications Corp that deals with a waste

disposal business dynasty in the 26th Century

TIME SQUARE--from Columbia Pictures with first time script writer Paul Finelli doing

an adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s (Blade Runner and Total Recall) short story

called “A Little Something for Us Temponauts” that features a plot line of three

time travelers who have 24 hours to investigate and possibly prevent their own

deaths

WONDER WOMAN--not the old Lynda Carter series, but rather a new film treatment of

this DC Comics superhero with Ivan Reitman on board to develop what could be

another Warner Bros big screen franchise; Kimberlee Reed has been signed on to

write a script

DARK FUTURE--from New Line and Alex Proyas (The Crow) set to direct this futuristic

thriller which is scheduled to begin filming July 15th in Australia about a man who

learns that his memories as well as his reality are artificial creations

QUARTERMASS AND THE PIT--also from New Line and Alex Proyas; this big screen

version of a BBC sci-fi series is about a professor who unearths the remains of

extraterrestrial life and will begin as soon as “Dark Future” is completed

I AM LEGEND--from Warner Bros with Carlo Carlei to direct and Mark Protosevich to

write the screenplay for Richard Matheson’s cult novel on which “The Omega

Man” (1971 with Charlton Heston) was based

WORLD CUP SOCCER--for 1998 the games will take place in France and still stands as

the largest sporting event in the world with 32.1 billion cumulative TV viewers

worldwide having watched World Cup ‘94; an opportunity for pinball again? or for

video? or novelty/redemption? (thru Sony Signatures)

TERMITE--based on a sci-fi novel by Patricia Anthony from 20th Century Fox with John

Sayles (“Matewan”, “Passion Fish”, “Eight Men Out”) and James Cameron

teaming up to bring to life a story focusing on a world in the near future where a

newly introduced alien race struggles to fight prejudice on Earth along with a

battle for control of the planet

RENT--the next big Broadway musical rock opera success (scheduoled to open on

Broadway end of April ‘96) is also the target of a huge bidding war by all studios

for movie rights

GARGOYLES--also from Paramount with Gale Anne Hurd about gargoyles in NY who

come to life (sounds alot like the Disney animated series)

Turner --Castle Rock (distribution thru Columbia)

New Line

Rysher--through MGM

Gramercy Pictures--through Polygram Filmed Entertainment and not Universal

Mandalay Entertainment (310-280-6444) --through Sony