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2007 TV News Archives

January 17, 2007: Smallville - The Oliver Queen Chronicles

WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP, THE CW AND SPRINT TO BRING "SMALLVILLE LEGENDS: THE OLIVER QUEEN CHRONICLES" TO LIFE VIA SPRINT WIRELESS PHONES

Initiative Marks the First Time Original Animated Content Has Been Created for "Smallville" as a Marketing Extension of the Show

Animated Wireless Series to Premiere Thursday, January 18, Exclusively on Sprint Phones

The Warner Bros. Television Group and The CW Network are teaming up with Sprint (NYSE: S) on a new shortform animated wireless series based upon the hit network drama "Smallville" (airing Thursdays at 8:00 p.m. ET on The CW). The announcement was made today by Lisa Gregorian, Executive Vice President, Worldwide Marketing, Warner Bros. Television Group; Rick Haskins, Executive Vice President, Marketing and Brand Strategy, The CW; and Anita Newton, Vice President of Marketing, Sprint.

"Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles," a six-episode animated wireless series created for the mobile and broadband environment, will premiere Thursday, January 18, exclusively on the Sprint TVSM mobile video service. A new episode will launch on subsequent Thursdays and remain exclusive to Sprint for the six-week duration of the series. After Sprint's exclusive window, the entire wireless animated series will be available for streaming at www.CWTV.com, the online home of The CW Network, beginning February 22. The initiative marks the first time Warner Bros. and The CW have created original animated content as a marketing platform to help drive tune-in for the "Smallville" television series.

"Our goal at Warner Bros. Television is to look for unique, innovative ways to entertain and engage our fans, resulting in a deeper connection to our shows and providing value to our broadcast partners," said Gregorian. "This partnership with The CW and Sprint enables us to deliver exceptional wireless entertainment which provides a multi-layered experience for viewers."

"This is another example of how The CW is delivering on its promise to deliver original, new content to our young audience via multiple platforms," said Haskins. "We will continue to work with our studio and sales partners to whet the appetite of our passionate fans for more CW programming."

"'Smallville's' mix of young, tech savvy viewers want to learn more and interact more with their favorite show, and Sprint is in a perfect position to give them that access," said Newton. "We are always looking for new opportunities for Sprint TV to give our subscribers exclusive content related to the primetime television shows that they love."

The producers of the "Smallville" television series recently introduced the new character of Oliver Queen, who arrives in Smallville to continue his covert quest for justice in the guise of the super hero Green Arrow. Possessing phenomenal skills with a high-tech bow and arrow, Queen learns Clark has super powers and tries to recruit him in his current mission against Lex Luthor, Queen's former schoolmate. It is the fascinating back story to this new plotline that unfolds in the animated wireless series "Smallville Legends: The Oliver Queen Chronicles." Viewers will go on a journey back in time to experience the pivotal events that led to a young Oliver Queen becoming Green Arrow.

Sprint Vision subscribers can view the two- to four-minute animated episodes of "The Oliver Queen Chronicles" by texting GREEN to the number 7000 on their phone (Standard text message and wireless data rates apply). The link provided will also connect fans to a multitude of additional "Smallville"-related wireless content like downloadable images and show playlists from the Sprint Music Store.