Antonio Sabato Jr. To Headline TBS Superstation's First Original Movie, REAPER.

ATLANTA--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Sept. 23, 1998--Antonio Sabato Jr. will star in TBS Superstation's debut original movie production, tentatively titled REAPER. Shooting on the film is scheduled to begin this fall in Vancouver, under the direction of Armand Mastroianni (He Knows You're Alone). REAPER, produced by Stephanie Germain of Stephanie Germain Productions in association with Frank Von Zerneck and Robert Sertner of Von Zerneck-Sertner Films (Robin Cook's Invasion), is scheduled to premiere on TBS Superstation during First Quarter 1999, followed by three other original movies premiering throughout the rest of the year.

"REAPER is a gripping thriller and a natural extension of our network's movie image--fun, contemporary, male-oriented and high-action," said Jim Head, vice president of original programming for the Superstation. "We are excited to be kicking off our original movie franchise with Antonio Sabato Jr., who fits our network's personality perfectly."

REAPER is scripted by Rockne O'Bannon (Alien Nation) from a novel by Ben Mezrich. It tells the story of a computer virus that evolves into a deadly organic virus. Sabato plays a doctor out to stop the killer program before it is unleashed on an unsuspecting public.

Sabato has emerged as one of today's hottest up-and-coming young actors. This past summer, he starred with Mark Wahlberg and Lou Diamond Phillips in Kirk Wong's thriller The Big Hit. He also completed a starring role in the independent action thriller High Voltage.

For television, Sabato starred for two years on the daytime drama General Hospital. He then went on to play Alonzo Solace in the Steven Spielberg-produced TV series Earth 2 and Heather Locklear's long-lost husband in Melrose Place. Sabato's telefilm credits include the NBC Moment of Truth movie Why My Daughter?; William Friedkin's critically acclaimed Jailbreakers, part of Showtime's Rebel Highway series; If Looks Could Kill; and Thrill.

Mastroianni has directed the TV adaptations of Robin Cook's Virus and Robin Cook's Invasion, the latter co-written by REAPER screenwriter O'Bannon. His other credits include such features as Cameron's Closet and The Killing Hour; the telefilms The Perfect Getaway, Danielle Steel's The Ring and A Mother's Revenge; and the series Friday the 13th, Mann & Machine, Reasonable Doubts and Dark Shadows.

Von Zerneck-Sertner Films and Stephanie Germain Productions have teamed previously on the TV movies Virtual Obsession, starring Peter Gallagher and Mimi Rogers; Holiday in Your Heart, starring LeAnne Rimes; and No One Would Tell, starring Fred Savage. Von Zerneck-Sertner counts among its credits The West Side Waltz, starring Shirley MacLaine and Liza Minelli, and TNT's critically acclaimed The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson, starring Andre Braugher. They also executive produced TNT's series of Emmy-winning movies on Native Americans.

TBS Superstation presents more than 1,600 movies each year, including the world broadcast premieres of some of Hollywood's biggest hits. In August of this year, the Superstation's premiere of The American President garnered the largest audience (4,963,000 million households) for a theatrical movie ever on basic cable, beating a record set by the Superstation's premiere of Dumb & Dumber in September 1997. Upcoming Superstation broadcast premieres over the next three years include Absolute Power, Batman & Robin, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, As Good As It Gets, Conspiracy Theory, Contact, The Game, The Wedding Singer and Lethal Weapon 4.

TBS Superstation, Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s flagship network seen in more than 74 million households, is the most-watched network on cable. The Superstation features popular movies, high-profile original programming, outstanding sports and favorite comedies. The Superstation's Web site is located at http://TBSsuperstation.com.