For Immediate Release

"Pure action, bloody well done!" Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

"Pulse-pounding!" Elvis Mitchell, New York Times

BLADE II

COMING TO DOUBLE-DISC PLATINUM SERIES DVD & VHS
SEPTEMBER 3 FROM NEW LINE HOME ENTERTAINMENT

LOS ANGELES, CA (June 3, 2002) -- Half vampire, half human, all hero -- Blade is back on the street and looking for vengeance in Blade II, coming to a double-disc Platinum SeriesDVD and VHS September 3 from New Line Home Entertainment. Blade II will be available to rent or to own on VHS and Platinum Series DVD, with suggested retail prices of $22.94 for the VHS and $29.95 for the double-disc Platinum Series DVD.

The over $80 million box-office hit Blade II stars Wesley Snipes in the role of the vampire hunter Blade, the half-vampire "day-walker" superhero who lives to kill the undead. Snipes, himself a practicing martial artist, has built a loyal following of action fans with hits like Passenger 57, Demolition Man, Rising Sun, Money Train, U.S. Marshals and The Art of War. The first Blade film, based on the Marvel Comics superhero, was a blockbuster hit grossing more than $70 million during its theatrical release in August 1998, and the VHS and Platinum Series DVD of Blade have gone on to sell more than 3.5 million units since release.

In addition to Snipes, Blade II stars Kris Kristofferson (Planet of the Apes), returning as Blade's mentor Whistler; Norman Reedus (Gossip, Deuces Wild); Luke Goss; Leonor Varela (Cleopatra, The Tailor of Panama); Ron Perlman (Enemy at the Gates, Star Trek: Nemesis) and Donnie Yen (Iron Monkey, Shanghai Knights). Already a star in Hong Kong martial arts films, Yen was also enlisted by Blade II's director, Guillermo Del Toro (Mimic, The Devil's Backbone), to help choreograph the predominantly wire-free fighting in the film.

Blade II was written by David S. Goyer (Blade, Dark City), based on characters created by Marv Wolfman and Gene Colan, with Gabriel Beristain serving as cinematographer.

The ground-breaking soundtrack brings together hip-hop and techno artists such as Eve with Fatboy Slim, and Ice Cube with Paul Oakenfold, for exciting collaborations, and has sold over 170,000 units since its release on March 19.

Two DVDs Packed with Extras

Bonus Features on Disc 1:

• Commentary track with director Guillermo Del Toro and writer David Goyer
  
• Commentary track with producer Peter Frankfurt and Wesley Snipes
  
• Isolated score
  
• 16X9 Widescreen (1.85:1)
  
• Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound – English
  
• DTS surround sound - English
  
• Stereo surround sound – English
  
• English subtitles and closed captions
  
• Animated menus

Bonus Features on Disc 2: (Approximately three hours of video material!)

• Production Workshop:
• Director's Notebook: Interactive reproduction of director's notes with an intro by Del Toro
• A Pact in Blood: Interactive collection of original documentaries -- various docs on production, story and other subjects
• Art gallery
  
• Original theatrical press kit
  
• Deleted/alternate scenes
  
• Blade II video game survival guide
  
• Music video: Cypress Hill and Roni Size "Child of the Wild West"
• Theatrical trailers

DVD-ROM Content

• Script-to-Screen
• Original Website

The Blade II VHS edition will also feature the bonus Cypress Hill/Roni Size "Child of the Wild West" music video from Immortal Records. The packaging will be stickered to call out this added feature.

Synopsis

When the world is threatened by a new and deadlier breed of super vampire, the legendary Blade (Snipes) and his mentor Whistler (Kristofferson) must join forces with the Bloodpack, an elite team of vampire warriors made up of Blade's sworn enemies. These ravenous fiends must be destroyed at all costs in this high-voltage adventure exploding with spectacular effects and martial arts action.

New Line Home Entertainment distributes all of New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features theatrical films on VHS and DVD, including the new premium DVD brand infinifilm. The company also distributes feature films and non-theatrical programs acquired or produced by New Line Home Entertainment and New Line Television. New Line Cinema is the leading independent producer and distributor of theatrical films. New Line also licenses its films to ancillary markets including cable and broadcast television as well as in all international markets.

End Of Release