KEVIN BACON TO STAR IN HBO FILMS’ TAKING CHANCE,

STORY OF A FALLEN MARINE’S FINAL JOURNEY HOME FROM IRAQ;

TWO-TIME OSCAR-NOMINATED PRODUCER ROSS KATZ MAKES DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

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Executive Produced By Brad Krevoy, Cathy Wischner-Sola, Ross Katz

Produced By Lori Keith Douglas, Production To Begin This Summer

            LOS ANGELES, April XX, 2007 – Kevin Bacon (“Mystic River”) will star in the HBO Films production TAKING CHANCE, it was announced today by HBO Films president Colin Callender.  Based on the first-person account of Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl (USMC), the film chronicles his poignant journey as the volunteer military escort officer assigned to accompany the body of 19-year-old Lance Corporal Chance Phelps (USMC), who was killed in action in Iraq, across America back to his hometown of Dubois, Wyoming in spring 2004.

            Bacon will portray LtCol Strobl, a Desert Storm veteran who recently retired after serving 24 years in the U.S. Marine Corps. Strobl developed the original screenplay with the strong support of Phelps’ parents, John Phelps and Gretchen Mack.  Two-time Oscar-nominated producer Ross Katz (“Lost in Translation”) will be making his directorial debut. TAKING CHANCE is written by LtCol Michael Strobl and Ross Katz, based on the short story by Strobl; executive producers are Brad Krevoy (“A Love Song for Bobby Long”), Cathy Wischner-Sola, and Ross Katz; producer is Lori Keith Douglas (“The Notorious Bettie Page”). HBO Films vice president Jenni Sherwood is the executive in charge of the production.  TAKING CHANCE will start production this summer and debut on HBO in 2008.

            Says Callender, “This story dramatizes events we seldom, if ever, read about in our newspapers or see on the television news.  When I first read TAKING CHANCE it reminded me of a modern day ‘The Best Years of Our Lives.’  Here is a Desert Storm vet writing about his own experiences on escort duty with an honesty and dignity that jumped off the page. I cannot imagine any one better than Kevin Bacon to bring this role to the screen.”

            Says Krevoy, “I applaud HBO for championing this project, which focuses on the sacrifices made every day by our men and women in the military.  LtCol Strobl’s original short story TAKING CHANCE was an inspiring and fitting tribute to Chance, his family, and all the men and women who have given their life in the service of our country.”

            LCpl Chance Phelps was killed April 9, 2004, from hostile fire in Al Anbar Province, Iraq and was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star with Combat Distinguishing Device.  He was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and had been deployed to Iraq just one month prior to his death.  More than 1,000 people attended his funeral in Dubois (population 960).

            Kevin Bacon (LtCol Strobl) made his film debut as Chip in "National Lampoon's Animal House," which led to roles in "Diner" and "Footloose," the latter of which propelled him to stardom. His film credits also include "Murder in the First" (voted Best Actor by The Broadcast Critics Association), “Apollo 13,” “Mystic River” and “The Woodsman” (which earned him an IFP Spirit Award). Bacon’s directing credits include “Loverboy,” starring Kyra Sedgwick. He will next be seen in the upcoming feature films “Death Sentence” and “Rails & Ties.”

            Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl, USMC (ret) (writer) enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1983 and served in all three active duty Marine divisions as a field artilleryman.  He has deployed to the Western Pacific and Persian Gulf region with the 13th and 15th Marine Expeditionary Units, and he participated in Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm as part of the 1st Marine Division.  Strobl’s last assignment was at Headquarters, United States Marine Corps; Manpower and Reserve Affairs in Quantico, Virginia.  He wrote the short story "Taking Chance" while serving with the Marine Corps Combat Development Command in Quantico, Virginia in April 2004.  He retired from the Marine Corps in 2007. 

            Ross Katz (director/writer/executive producer) previously earned an Emmy nomination as an executive producer of HBO Films’ “The Laramie Project.” As producer of Sofia Coppola’s “Lost in Translation,” he received a Best Picture Academy Award® nomination and won both a Golden Globe and an Independent Spirit Award.  Katz recently re-teamed with Coppola to produce “Marie Antoinette.”  He previously garnered Best Picture Academy Award® and Golden Globe nominations for producing Todd Field's “In the Bedroom.”  His first feature as producer was Jim Fall's “Trick.”

             Brad Krevoy (executive producer) founded Motion Picture Corporation of America (MPCA) in 1986, and has played a key role in the finance, development, production, and distribution of over 100 motion picture and television projects.  His producing credits include the smash-hit comedy "Dumb and Dumber," the Peabody Award-winning telefilm "Annie," Kevin Spacey's directorial debut, "Albino Alligator," “A Love Song For Bobby Long” starring John Travolta and Scarlett Johansson, “Kingpin,” “Jungle 2 Jungle,” and “Beverly Hills Ninja.”  In 1996 Mr. Krevoy sold MPCA and became co-president of Orion Pictures where he produced films for Academy Award-winner Tom Schulman (“Dead Poets Society”); and released films such as Victor Nunez’s critically acclaimed “Ulee’s Gold,” presented by Jonathan Demme, and starring Academy Award-winner Peter Fonda; as well as Sergei Bodrov’s “Prisoner of the Mountains,” an Academy Award and Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film.  Mr. Krevoy revitalized Orion Pictures, quickly positioning the company for sale to Kirk Kerkorian’s MGM/UA in 1997, and subsequently restarted MPCA.  

            HBO Films, a division of Home Box Office, produces movies for the network as well as films for theatrical release.

            Since 1989, HBO Films’ acclaimed movies and miniseries, which include “Elizabeth I,” “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers,” “Angels in America,” “Wit” and “Empire Falls,” have garnered 130 Emmy^® Awards, winning the Outstanding Made for Television Movie Emmy^® 12 of the last 14 years.  HBO Films has captured 44 Golden Globe Awards since 1985, winning the Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV award for eight of the last 12 years.

            Since 2003, HBO Films has received three Oscar^® nominations:  Catalina Sandino Moreno in the Best Actress category for “Maria Full Of Grace,” “Yesterday” in the Best Foreign Language Film category and “American Splendor” for Best Adapted Screenplay.

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