Television
September 5, 2003
The WB And VH1 Share Exclusive First Television Window For Eminem’s Film Debut “8 Mile”
(September 5, 2003 – Burbank, CA) – The WB Network and VH1 have acquired the exclusive first window television rights to the Academy Award-winning film “8 Mile,” starring hip-hop superstar Eminem, from Universal Television.
The deal calls for the cable-and-broadcast television window to begin in April 2005 with VH1 airing the film first, followed by The WB during its 2005-2006 television season.
"‘8 Mile’ is an ideal movie for The WB, delivering the creative quality, honesty and integrity that viewers expect from our dramas and comedies," said Rusty Mintz, Senior Vice President, Primetime Scheduling. "With Eminem's impassioned performance and Curtis Hanson's visionary direction, we expect ‘8 Mile’ to become an iconic pop culture title that will stand the test of time."
“Eminem is such a major force in pop culture and music and has a strong appeal to our viewers. Acquiring his highly regarded film debut is a natural fit for our ‘Movies That Rock’ franchise,” said Ben Zurier, Senior Vice President, Programming Strategy, VH1.
For Jimmy Smith, Jr. (Eminem), life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment is another chance. From Academy Award winner Curtis Hanson (“L.A. Confidential”), and Oscar-winning producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind”), “8 Mile” is the triumphant film Time Magazine hails as 'Powerful!' and Entertainment Weekly applauds as 'Electrifying and Mesmerizing!' The film, written by Scott Silver, also stars Brittany Murphy and Kim Basinger.
VH1 connects viewers to the music, artists and pop culture that matter to them most with series, specials, live events, exclusive online content and public affairs initiatives. VH1 is available in nearly 84 million households in the U.S. VH1 also has an array of digital services including VH1 Classic, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, VH1 Mega Hits and VH1 Country. Connect with VH1 at www.VH1.com.
VH1 is a registered trademark of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom International Inc. MTV Networks also operates and offers joint ventures, licensing agreements and syndication deals whereby its programming can be seen worldwide. # # #