Spider Man, The Punisher and Captain America - these are but a few characters who will be getting their own games in an agreement between Marvel and THQ.
THQ PARTNERS WITH MARVEL ENTERPRISES
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: THQI) and Marvel
Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: MVL) today announced a worldwide agreement naming
THQ exclusive interactive game licensee of some of Marvel's hottest comic
and entertainment properties including Captain America, The Punisher, and
Nick Fury. The all-inclusive relationship grants THQ rights to all classic,
TV and film versions of each of the properties for every viable game system
including those manufactured by Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft, as well as PC
through 2007.
The two companies also announced they will collaborate on the upcoming comic
series, The Call. Based on the adventures of real-life heroes in New York
City, The Call may feature many of the most popular characters in the Marvel
Universe such as Spider-Man and the X-Men. The Call is scheduled to make
its comic debut in fall of 2003 followed by an interactive debut in spring
of 2004.
"Working with Marvel not only on rich properties like The Punisher but in
jointly creating a brand-new property like The Call is a huge win for THQ as
we continue to execute on our strategy of bringing the best gaming content
to market," stated Germaine Gioia, vice president, licensing, THQ. "THQ
looks forward to tapping into the essence of these characters from their
comic book roots and creating true digital experiences that reflect Marvel's
future plans for the franchises."
"Marvel is looking forward to a true partnership," said Bill Jemas,
President and COO, Marvel Enterprises, Inc. "THQ's top developers will work
closely with Marvel's best creators to produce the most exciting games on
the market. We are especially excited about jointly developing The Call -
an all-new property about real-world heroism."
Jemas added, "The interactive category has become a cornerstone of property
development, and we feel very fortunate to be working with a company that
knows how to build a property and bring it to the mass audience."
"This deal has come together during an especially exciting time for these
Marvel brands," stated Russ Brown, Executive Vice President, Marvel
Enterprises, Inc. "Rolling Stone just declared Nick Fury the 'certified
cool' comic book of 2001, The Punisher has been outselling Batman ever since
its 2000 re-launch and, based on initial orders from comic shops, Captain
America will be the top selling comic in America this May - right in the
middle of the Spider-Man movie hype."
The first game under the new agreement is The Punisher (working title)
scheduled for release in 2003.
