News Release

“Open Season” in Theatres Tonight; Credit Goes to Universal Press Syndicate Creator

Kansas City  (09/29/2006)  Tonight, Sept. 29, 2006, Sony Pictures Animation's “Open Season” makes its debut in America's movie theatres. Universal Press Syndicate cartoonist Steve Moore ("In the Bleachers") serves as an executive producer and co-creator of the film.

(See today's "In the Bleachers" comic panel for a subliminal message from the creator.)

“Open Season” has all the elements of an animated feature turned box office success. The film boasts ground-breaking technology, a list of notable actors who give voices to memorable characters and vivid animation, and the inspiration and guidance of Moore, an acclaimed cartoonist.

Moore's comic panel about sports mishaps celebrated 20 years of syndication in 2005 – 10 of those with Universal Press Syndicate. In his years as an artist, Moore has produced a number of animated shorts for ESPN, created a children’s television series and produced several comic collections, the latest being “Dibs on his Clubs” published by Andrews McMeel Publishing.

“Open Season” will be the cartoonist’s first full venture into film. Moore and producer John Carls submitted the "Open Season" story to Sony in June, 2002 and the movie immediately went into development. (Carls and Moore sold a treatment titled "City Sewer" to Dreamworks Animation in 2000. That story is the basis for the movie "Flushed Away," also due in theaters this fall.)

“I still rub my eyes and pinch myself every time I walk onto the Sony lot. I’m a closet Hollywood groupie, so it’s a big deal,” said Moore about his involvement with the film.

For Sony Pictures, the premiere will also serve as the debut of Sony Pictures Animation (SPA), a new division of Sony Pictures Digital. Since SPA's establishment in May, 2002, “Open Season” will be its first full-length CGI (Computer Generated Imaged) Film.

“Open Season” is the story of Boog (Martin Lawrence), a 900-pound grizzly bear who has lived a domesticated life of luxury as the star of a local nature show, and Elliot (Ashton Kutcher), a mule deer who rides into town with only one antler and a whole lot of spirit. The pair is relocated from the tranquil town of Timberline to the wild and must quickly befriend the foreign beasts of the forest in order to survive the common nightmare of every wild animal – the beginning of hunting season.

Debra Messing and Gary Sinise help round out the cast along with an array of side characters, such as McSquizzy (Bill Connolly) the squirrel leader of the Furry Tail Clan, two sassy skunks and one loner porcupine.

Moore, whose comic panel, “In the Bleachers,” served as the ground work for the film, joined executive producer Carls and directors Roger Allers, Anthony Stacchi and Jill Culton in the three-year production of “Open Season.”

Moore is at work writing the screenplay for his next film, another CGI feature for Lions Gate Films. He continues to create his comic panel that reaches more than 13 million readers daily. He resides in Idaho with his wife, Dru, and three children.

Creator(s): Steve Moore

Contact(s): Kathie Kerr

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