HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ACTION-ADVENTURE SERIES "WIZARD'S FIRST RULE" TO PREMIERE WEEKEND OF NOVEMBER 1ST IN NATIONAL SYNDICATION

New Epic Fantasy Series Celebrates Heroes, Heroines and Good vs. Evil In Exhilarating, Two-Hour Premiere Event

BURBANK, CA - The worlds of fantasy, adventure, magic, mystery and romance collide this fall in a new first-run, live action weekly series, "Wizard's First Rule," premiering the weekend of NOVEMBER 1 in national syndication, it was announced today by Disney-ABC Domestic Television and ABC Studios.

Shot with the exotic and rugged New Zealand landscape as its backdrop, the one-hour scripted series from executive producers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Joshua Donen, Ned Nalle and Kenneth Biller will kick off with a thrilling two-hour premiere event.

From the talented team behind the long-running, successful series "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Xena: Warrior Princess," and the studio that produces primetime network hits including "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "Ghost Whisperer" and "Army Wives" comes the next generation of action-adventure series. "Wizard's First Rule" follows the extraordinary travels of woodsman Richard Cypher (Craig Horner), who discovers his own magical powers. With the help of a mysterious woman named Kahlan (Bridget Regan) and a wise old wizard named Zedd, Richard must stop a ruthless tyrant from unleashing an ancient evil and enslaving the world.

"Adapting Terry Goodkind's brilliant work for television is a thrilling opportunity," said executive producer Sam Raimi. "The amazing characters and heartfelt story, combined with the captivating backdrop of New Zealand, will have viewers on the edge of their seats."

Rob Tapert, executive producer, added: "Everyone on the production team is committed to making a mini-feature film each and every week. The combination of a talented cast, incredible special effects and stunning locations has given us all the tools we need to create a truly memorable television series."

"Wizard's First Rule" has been cleared by Disney-ABC Domestic Television in 95% of the country to date, including all of the top 50 markets. The one-hour series is based on Terry Goodkind's best-selling book, Wizard's First Rule and epic fantasy series The Sword of Truth.

"Wizard's First Rule" is produced by ABC Studios, marking their first venture into broadcast syndication. Sam Raimi ("Spider-Man," "Spider-Man 2," "Spider-Man 3" and "The Evil Dead"), Rob Tapert ("The Grudge," "Xena: Warrior Princess," "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" and "Cleopatra 2525"), Joshua Donen ("The Quick and the Dead"), Ned Nalle (production executive for "Xena: Warrior Princess" and "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys") and Kenneth Biller ("Star Trek: Voyager" and "Six Degrees") serve as executive producers.