Mike the Pike Productions, Inc. Begins Development on ‘The Skin Trade’

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Mike the Pike Productions, Inc. Begins Development on ‘The Skin Trade’; Re-ups Rights to Werewolf Masterpiece by Game of Thrones Scribe, George R.R. Martin

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mike the Pike Productions, Inc. is pleased to announce that it has re-upped its option for ‘The Skin Trade’ by George R.R. Martin, the author/creator behind HBO’s smash success, ‘Game of Thrones’.

‘GRRM’s ‘The Skin Trade’ is a werewolf novella with a macabre backdrop in the vein of films like ‘’Underworld’, ‘The Howling’ and even ‘Silence of the Lambs’, to enable a high priority development phase for the project toward production in 2012. The Option gives Mike The Pike Productions exclusive film rights to develop the material for screen, intended for wide theatrical release. These actions will be coupled with its agenda to begin pre-production on a separate, low-budget feature by end of 2011.

Producers are confident the piece will have both critical and commercial appeal with a box-office scenario that could well outperform its (even recent) Lycan counterparts.

MTP and its partners recently wrapped principle photography on sci-fi thriller ‘White Space’ written by Spoke Lane Entertainment’s ‘Ryan Colucci’ and Directed by www.filmworksfx.com founder, Ken Locsmandi.

Mike The Pike Productions CEO/Producer, Mark B. Newbauer says, “The Skin Trade” is both a new spin on the werewolf legend and a classic, macabre mystery; shrouded in dark secrets, on the chase for a shifty killer with a thirst for the most unlikely of victims. George has once again created, in a matter of pages, a rich universe with complex characters and a jaw-dropping storyline that sticks with you well beyond the read.”

He continues, “George is a great writer because George is a feeling human being with, from what I can tell, as much compassion and understanding of human nature as he has imagination and attention to detail. Where most great writers are creating great stories, George creates, time and time again, entire worlds, in which every character, every moment is real, even in the most bizarre of scenarios or settings. It’s why this piece, above any other I’ve read or seen is, hands down, the best werewolf story there is.”

The team looks to connect with George at this week’s Comic-Con 2011 in San Diego, the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world, where producer Ryan Colucci will be marketing his www.harbor-moon.com as well as teaser material for the MIKP’s SPOKEFISH Graphic Novel slate. George will be moderating a panel for Game of Thrones.

George R.R. Martin, coined ‘The American Tolkein’ and recently named by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 Most Influential People is the author/creator behind HBO’s successful epic series, Game of Thrones, which is nominated for 13 Emmys last week, including Outstanding Drama and Outstanding Writing.

Currently, Avatar Press is developing the Graphic Novel version of ‘The Skin Trade’.

More news to come on ‘White Space’, ‘The Skin Trade’ and another exciting property yet to be announced!

IN DEVELOPMENT:

MTP Producers Ryan Colucci, Beth Newbauer and Mark B. Newbauer present: George R.R. Martin’s THE SKIN TRADE: From the best-selling author behind HBO’s Game of Thrones comes this white knuckle chiller with a string of unsolved murders immersed deep in lycan lore: When a series of grotesque killings strikes her small hometown, private detective Randi Wade becomes suspicious. The grisly murders remind her all too much of her own father's death nearly 20 years ago. Now there is a killer in town who not only slays his victims, but also takes their skin. Undaunted, Randi takes the case head-on as the murders continue, each more brutal than the last. When a close friend suddenly becomes a target, he is forced to reveal a startling secret about himself and Randi is quickly pulled into a dark world within her own town where monsters do exist and even they have something to fear...