LosAngeles-based Platinum Studios and Blue Star Pictures have signed Danny andOxide Pang to direct The Darkness, based on the Top Cow Productions comic book.

Platinumwill finance 50% of the production that is at Miramax with a progress toproduction clause through January 2006. The project is currently out towriters.

Platinum is alsoteaming up with Top Cow and Majesco on a video game version that is the onlycomic book adaptation so far set to launch on the new Xbox 360 console.

The Darkness centres on a mafia hitman who learns heis the heir to a formidable mystical force through which he must battle asupernatural enemy bent on enslaving mankind.

"The PangBrothers unique horror style suits this project very well," Platinum Studioschairman Scott Mitchell Rosenberg said. "This is an opportunity to develop oneof Platinum's many horror-genre properties with two of the besthorror-directors available."

"When wefirst approached Danny and Oxide with the idea, we found out they were alreadyfans of the book," Blue Star partner William Sherak added. "The ideas theystarted coming up with were exactly in line with what we and Platinum hadalready discussed. We knew right then they were the only ones who could dothis."

Rosenberg willproduce for Platinum, with Top Cow founder and The Darkness creator Marc Silvestri serving asexecutive producers.

RhiannonMeier will oversee development for Blue Star Pictures, a full serviceproduction company with a first-look deal at Revolution Studios and SonyPictures Entertainment.

Platinum Studioshas set up a number of Top Cow projects at the major studios, including CowboysAnd Aliens at Sony, Unique at Disney, Wanted at Universal, and Inferno at Warner Brothers. Platinum also has amulti-picture deal with financier Gold Circle Films.

The Pangbrothers recently wrapped on another Blue Star feature, The Messengers, starring Dylan McDermott, John Corbett,and Penelope Ann Miller, for Mandate Pictures and Sony.

Danny and OxidePang are represented by Ramses Ishak and Michael Sheresky of WMA.

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