Columbia Pictures and Phoenix Pictures Begin Principal Photography on `Urban Legend 2 -- The Final Cut'.

TORONTO--(ENTERTAINMENT WIRE)--Oct. 29, 1999--

Columbia Pictures and Phoenix Pictures began principal photography today on the thriller "Urban Legend 2 -- The Final Cut," starring Jennifer Morrison ("Stir of Echoes," "Miracle on 34th Street") and Joseph Lawrence ("Tequila Body Shots," TV's "Brotherly Love").

The film is toplined by an attractive young cast that also includes Anson Mount (TVs "Ally McBeal"), Eva Mendez ("My Brother the Pig," "A Night at the Roxbury"), Jessica Cauffiel ("The Out-of-Towners," TV's "Frasier"), Anthony Anderson ("Life," "Liberty Heights") and newcomer Matt Davis. Loretta Devine ("Urban Legend," "Waiting to Exhale") and Hart Bochner ("Anywhere But Here," "Die Hard") also star.

"Urban Legend 2 -- The Final Cut" follows Amy Mayfield (Morrison), a student at Alpine University who struggles to complete her thesis film on urban legends -- only to have her crew members fall prey to fatal "accidents." Suspicious, Amy investigates and discovers a much more sinister hand at work. Now she must unmask the killer before she, too, becomes an urban legend.

"Urban Legend 2 -- The Final Cut" is a Phoenix Pictures presentation distributed by Columbia Pictures. The film is directed by John Ottman from an original script by Paul Harris Boardman and Scott Derrickson and is produced by Neal H. Moritz ("Blue Streak," "I Know What You Did Last Summer"), Gina Matthews ("Urban Legend," TV's "Popular") and Michael McDonnell ("The Replacement Killers," "The Usual Suspects").

Brad Luff, Nick Osborne and Richard Rothschild executive produce. The creative team includes director of photography Brian Pearson ("Tail Lights Fade") and production designer Mark Zuelzke ("Message in a Bottle," "George of the Jungle").

Shooting will take place in Toronto through Dec. 16. The film is slated for a 2000 release.

Making his feature film directorial debut, Ottman served in the dual role as editor and composer on the Academy Award-winning film "The Usual Suspects" and "Apt Pupil." Ottman has also composed the music for the films "Lake Placid," "Halloween: H20," "Incognito," "The Cable Guy" and the forthcoming "X-Men."

Columbia Pictures is a Sony Pictures Entertainment company. Sony Pictures' global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television programming and syndication; home video acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries.

Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.spe.sony.com.

Phoenix Pictures was launched by Mike Medavoy, chairman and chief executive officer; and Arnie Messer, president, in November 1995. Released under the Phoenix banner in 1996 were the Golden Globe Award-winning, Academy Award-nominated "The Mirror Has Two Faces," directed by Barbra Streisand; and "The People vs. Larry Flynt," directed by Milos Forman.

In 1998, Phoenix released the box-office hit "Urban Legend," directed by Jamie Blanks; "Apt Pupil," directed by Bryan Singer; and the critically hailed "The Thin Red Line," directed by Terrence Malick, which received seven Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.

The company's 1999 releases included the action adventure "Lake Placid," a 20th Century Fox release starring Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda and Oliver Platt, written and produced by David E. Kelley and directed by Steve Minor; and the comedy "Dick." Phoenix is presently in production on "The Sixth Day," starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and directed by Roger Spottiswoode; and the romantic comedy "Whatever It Takes."

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