Pangs do their part for 'Darkness'

Vidgame publisher Majesco also developing a game

By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

Platinum Studios and Blue Star Pictures have hired the Pang brothers ("Bangkok Dangerous") to direct "The Darkness," based on the comicbook series from Top Cow Prods.

Horror pic is under option at Miramax, where it had been brought in by Bob and Harvey Weinstein for Dimension Films. With the Weinsteins gone, it's unclear whether the specialty arm will still pursue the project.

Platinum and Blue Star are prepared to go it alone, with Platinum now having raised half the financing for the $28 million movie. Miramax's option expires at the end of January.

Vidgame publisher Majesco, in association with Top Cow and Platinum, also is developing a game for the new Xbox 360 platform that's skedded for release in early 2007.

"The Darkness" is about a Mafia hit man who discovers he is heir to a supernatural, dangerous force.

Platinum Studios chair Scott Mitchell Rosenberg will produce. Co-producers are Platinum's Aaron Severson, Jay Burns and Top Cow's Matt Hawkins. Top Cow founder Mark Silvestri, who created "The Darkness" with Garth Ennis and David Wohl, is exec producing. Rhiannon Meier will oversee for Blue Star.

Twins Danny and Oxide Pang, who also directed "The Eye," recently finished another Blue Star feature, "The Messengers," for Mandate Pictures and Sony.

Blue Star ("Darkness Falls," "Little Black Book") has a first-look deal at Revolution Studios and Sony.

Platinum controls a library of more than 2,000 comicbook characters, including those in "Men in Black." Top Cow and Platinum, which inked a partnership last year, have a number of other projects set up at various studios.

Blue Star, Platinum and the Pang brothers will begin jointly looking for a writer for "The Darkness."