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〈 Matrix 〉 〈 Die Hard 〉 〈 Lethal Weapon 〉 監 製
嶄 新 視 覺 震 撼 動 作 巨 獻

戰 警 、 大 盜 各 有 目 的
倒 數 關 頭 同 流 合 擊

〈 英 雄 〉 巨 星
李 連 杰

HIP HOP 紅 人
DMX

同 盜 一 擊
CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE

華 納 兄 弟 影 片 公 司 貢 獻
SILVER PICTURES 製 作

〈 致 命 英 雄 〉 安 東 尼 安 德 遜 Anthony Anderson
〈 蠍 子 王 傳 奇 〉 胡 凱 莉 Kelly Hu
〈 凸 務 之 王 〉 湯 阿 諾 Tom Arnold
〈 雷 霆 戰 警 〉 麥 克 狄 卡 斯 高 斯 Mark Dacascos
〈 重 案 夢 幻 組 II 〉 姬 比 奧 于 莉 安 Gabrielle Union 主 演

〈 致 命 英 雄 〉 導 演 安 哲 巴 高 域 克 Andrzej Bartkowiak
〈 22 世 紀 殺 人 網 絡 〉 監 製 祖 舒 路 華 Joel Silver

3 月 20 日 最 強 對 最 強

資 料 查 詢 ： 瀏 覽 www.cradle2thecrave.com

《 同 盜 一 擊 》

故 事 大 綱

他 既 是 黑 幫 首 領 、 盜 賊 、 也 是 一 名 慈 父 。 費 東 尼 （ DMX ） 是 洛 杉 磯 犯 罪 集 團 的 首 領 ， 擁 有 龐 大 的 黑 道 勢 力 及 一 班 誓 死 追 隨 的 手 下 ， 但 唯 一 可 令 他 奉 獻 全 部 愛 的 ， 只 有 他 最 心 愛 的 女 兒 雲 妮 莎 。

可 惜 一 批 價 值 連 成 的 珠 寶 引 來 敵 人 的 覬 覦 ， 他 們 不 惜 脅 持 雲 妮 莎 作 為 交 換 珠 寶 的 條 件 ， 令 他 女 兒 身 陷 險 境 。 雖 然 他 已 解 除 禁 槍 的 命 令 ， 甚 至 總 動 員 去 營 救 雲 妮 莎 ， 但 費 東 尼 對 拯 救 他 女 兒 的 計 劃 卻 一 籌 莫 展 。

此 事 引 起 聯 邦 密 探 的 關 注 ， 台 灣 密 探 孫 （ 李 連 杰 ） 亦 被 委 派 調 查 珠 寶 的 下 落 ， 此 時 ， 孫 發 現 原 來 欲 奪 這 批 珠 寶 ， 甚 至 劫 去 費 東 尼 女 兒 的 主 謀 ， 正 是 他 以 前 的 拍 檔 寧 （ 麥 克 狄 卡 斯 高 斯 ） 。 而 孫 卻 是 唯 一 一 個 能 充 分 掌 握 寧 的 行 縱 的 人 ， 所 以 費 東 尼 深 信 孫 是 能 夠 助 他 救 回 女 兒 的 關 鍵 人 物 。

雖 然 ， 二 人 動 機 不 同 ， 但 追 捕 的 卻 是 同 一 敵 人 。 一 個 為 了 自 己 深 愛 的 女 兒 ， 一 個 則 為 了 履 行 職 責 ， 於 是 攜 手 合 作 ， 同 盜 一 擊 。

強 勁 Hip Hop 音 樂 與 中 國 武 打 完 美 結 合

由 動 作 巨 星 李 連 杰 與 Hip Hop 紅 人 DMX 首 次 合 演 的 《 同 盜 一 擊 》 ， 結 合 了 李 連 杰 的 超 凡 動 作 身 手 ， 與 Hip Hop 街 頭 文 化 ， 製 造 出 視 聽 極 為 亢 奮 的 效 果 。 這 種 動 作 美 學 一 直 是 監 製 祖 舒 路 華 近 年 的 電 影 商 標 ， 例 子 包 括 他 與 李 連 杰 之 前 合 作 過 的 〈 轟 天 炮 4 〉 及 〈 致 命 英 雄 〉 。

李 連 杰 、 元 奎 再 度 合 作 ， 動 作 設 計 嶄 新 刺 激

李 連 杰 今 次 繼 承 了 他 在 〈 轟 〉 及 〈 致 〉 片 中 冷 峻 的 形 像 ， 身 手 之 敏 捷 同 樣 令 人 喝 采 。 他 與 長 期 拍 擋 、 本 片 的 武 術 指 導 元 奎 設 計 了 多 場 刺 激 精 彩 的 武 打 場 面 。 其 中 一 場 講 述 李 連 杰 在 地 下 困 獸 籠 中 與 十 五 個 自 由 搏 擊 手 比 武 的 場 面 ， 就 令 人 看 得 極 度 興 奮 。 這 幕 刺 激 動 作 場 面 足 足 拍 了 十 日 ， 所 動 用 的 動 作 演 員 ， 其 中 三 個 是 真 實 的 自 由 搏 擊 冠 軍 ， 包 括 一 個 重 量 級 及 兩 個 輕 量 級 拳 王 。 觀 眾 在 銀 幕 上 看 到 的 肉 搏 場 面 ， 可 說 是 極 具 實 感 ， 拳 拳 到 肉 的 。 而 這 亦 是 元 奎 在 本 片 要 求 的 風 格 ， 他 不 想 採 用 太 多 花 巧 的 設 計 ， 反 而 著 重 街 頭 實 戰 的 方 式 ， 讓 觀 眾 感 到 更 加 刺 激 。

除 了 李 連 杰 外 ， 其 他 演 員 如 DMX 及 麥 克 迪 卡 斯 高 斯 都 有 出 色 的 武 打 演 出 。 迪 卡 斯 高 斯 在 法 國 片 〈 狙 擊 特 攻 〉 表 演 的 身 手 一 直 吸 引 著 監 製 祖 舒 路 華 的 注 意 ， 而 DMX 自 演 出 〈 豹 子 彈 〉 後 ， 今 次 動 作 演 出 更 富 經 驗 ， 他 在 片 中 還 親 身 上 陣 駕 駛 ATV 機 動 車 逃 亡 鬧 市 ， 令 人 耳 目 一 新 。

扮 演 黑 幫 女 殺 手 的 胡 凱 莉 亦 有 多 番 表 演 身 手 的 機 會 ， 這 個 在 〈 蠍 子 王 傳 奇 〉 中 性 感 四 射 的 中 國 女 演 員 。 原 來 是 空 手 道 黑 帶 ， 高 難 度 的 動 作 也 難 不 到 她 。

《 同 盜 一 擊 》 動 作 固 然 悅 目 ， 強 勁 Hip Hop 音 樂 也 極 具 陪 襯 作 用 ， 片 中 除 了 DMX 唱 了 三 首 歌 曲 ， 另 一 饒 舌 紅 人 〈 8 里 公 路 〉 的 Eminem 也 唱 了 其 中 一 首 插 曲 ， 必 令 饒 舌 音 樂 迷 有 意 外 驚 喜 。

導 演 － 安 哲 斯 巴 高 域 克 (Andrzej Bartkowiak)

在 踏 入 他 的 導 演 生 涯 之 前 ， 他 是 一 位 廣 告 和 獨 立 電 影 的 攝 影 師 。 而 他 首 次 執 導 的 電 影 是 由 李 連 杰 主 演 的 《 致 命 英 雄 》 ， 跟 著 他 與 DMX 合 作 過 《 豹 子 彈 》 。 巴 高 域 克 以 攝 影 師 身 份 , 曾 拍 過 奧 斯 卡 最 佳 電 影 《 常 在 我 心 間 》 、 《 龍 兄 鼠 弟 》 、 《 轟 天 炮 IV 》 、 《 異 種 》 、 《 生 死 時 速 》

監 製 － 祖 舒 路 華 （ Joel Silver ）

祖 舒 路 華 是 荷 里 活 首 屈 一 指 的 動 作 片 監 製 。 他 所 監 製 的 電 影 全 球 票 房 超 過 三 十 億 美 元 ， 平 均 每 套 電 影 超 過 一 億 美 元 。 而 他 於 1999 年 所 監 製 的 《 廿 二 世 紀 殺 人 網 絡 》 獲 得 空 前 成 功 ， 世 界 票 房 超 過 四 億 美 元 、 甚 至 於 奧 斯 卡 獲 得 四 個 獎 項 殊 榮 。 他 所 監 製 的 電 影 都 是 為 人 熟 悉 的 ， 包 括 《 虎 膽 龍 威 》 及 《 轟 天 炮 》 系 列 ， 他 剛 完 成 《 The Matrix Reloaded 》 及 《 The Matrix Revolution 》 ， 這 兩 套 電 影 是 本 年 度 備 受 期 待 的 傑 作 。

演 員

李 連 杰 (Jet Li) 飾 孫 Su

國 際 知 名 的 亞 洲 武 打 巨 星 － 李 連 杰 ， 最 近 曾 參 予 獲 金 球 獎 及 奧 斯 卡 提 名 的 最 佳 外 語 片 《 英 雄 》 的 演 出 後 ， 現 正 與 影 帝 摩 根 費 曼 演 出 由 法 國 導 演 路 比 桑 執 導 的 《 Danny the Dog 》

他 於 98 年 參 予 《 轟 天 炮 IV 》 的 演 出 ， 登 上 荷 里 活 的 大 舞 台 。 這 位 中 國 的 影 壇 巨 星 ， 在 戲 中 飾 演 一 名 惡 貫 滿 盈 的 大 罪 犯 。 這 角 色 為 他 之 前 廿 五 齣 電 影 的 英 雄 形 象 帶 來 前 所 未 有 的 突 破 。

出 生 於 北 京 的 他 ， 自 小 與 中 國 武 術 結 下 不 解 之 緣 。 曾 受 過 很 多 艱 辛 的 訓 練 ， 終 於 獲 得 世 界 武 術 大 賽 的 冠 軍 ， 甚 至 於 1974 年 在 尼 克 遜 總 統 前 表 演 。 而 他 第 一 套 踏 入 銀 幕 的 電 影 是 《 少 林 寺 》 ， 該 片 獲 得 空 前 成 功 ， 令 他 在 武 術 片 中 闖 出 名 堂 。 及 後 他 憑 徐 克 執 導 的 《 黃 飛 鴻 》 ， 在 香 港 電 影 界 成 為 灸 手 可 熱 的 武 打 巨 星 。

李 連 杰 現 居 於 洛 杉 磯 ， 繼 續 與 美 國 的 製 片 人 合 作 。 《 同 盜 一 擊 》 是 他 第 二 次 與 導 演 安 哲 斯 巴 高 域 克 及 監 製 祖 舒 路 華 合 作 的 動 作 片 ， 而 第 一 部 合 作 的 電 影 是 《 致 命 英 雄 》 ， 令 他 在 荷 里 活 嶄 露 頭 角 。

DMX 飾 費 東 尼 Tony Fait

他 是 當 今 樂 壇 中 著 名 的 Hip Hop 繞 舌 高 手 。 他 所 出 道 兩 年 ， 首 三 張 唱 片 銷 量 直 一 千 五 百 萬 張 ， 成 績 非 常 驕 人 。 其 中 一 大 碟 《 Get At Me Dog 》 表 現 他 獨 有 的 真 正 街 頭 唱 腔 文 化 ， 受 到 世 界 的 關 注 。 及 後 ， 他 所 推 出 的 唱 片 ， 都 在 大 碟 榜 名 列 前 茅 。 他 更 是 首 位 歌 手 能 夠 在 同 一 年 ， 有 兩 張 唱 片 獲 得 榜 首 銷 量 。

在 演 藝 事 業 方 面 ， 《 同 盜 一 擊 》 是 他 第 三 次 與 導 演 安 謝 斯 巴 高 域 及 監 製 Joel Silver 合 作 的 電 影 。 首 部 合 作 的 電 影 是 與 李 連 杰 合 演 的 《 致 命 英 雄 》 ， 由 於 他 在 戲 中 強 而 有 力 的 形 象 ， 令 他 可 以 在 第 二 部 電 影 《 豹 子 彈 》 擔 任 主 角 。

胡 凱 莉 (Kelly Hu) 飾 桑 娜 Sona

她 是 一 個 有 四 分 之 一 中 國 血 統 ， 以 及 英 國 、 夏 威 夷 血 統 的 華 裔 女 星 。 1985 年 ， 與 她 曾 參 加 模 特 兒 的 好 友 傾 談 後 ， 決 定 參 加 選 美 ， 投 身 模 特 界 。 同 年 ， 她 參 加 美 國 少 女 選 美 比 賽 ， 出 乎 意 料 地 獲 得 冠 軍 ; 1993 年 ， 她 更 獲 得 夏 威 夷 小 姐 殊 榮 ， 便 開 展 了 她 的 星 途 事 業 。 她 曾 演 出 電 視 劇 《 過 江 龍 》 ， 與 洪 金 寶 首 度 合 作 ， 她 也 藉 此 片 獲 得 最 佳 電 視 女 演 員 獎 。

去 年 她 曾 演 出 《 蠍 子 王 傳 奇 》 該 片 性 感 的 埃 及 女 皇 造 型 ， 令 人 眼 前 一 亮 。 最 近 她 正 在 拍 攝 《 X-men 2 》 ， 戲 中 她 飾 演 一 名 日 本 女 忍 者 。

參 與 《 同 盜 一 擊 》 的 演 出 ， 令 她 開 始 了 武 打 女 星 的 行 列 。 原 來 凱 莉 自 小 已 學 習 空 手 道 ， 是 一 名 黑 帶 高 手 。 這 個 秒 密 武 器 ， 令 她 在 拍 攝 武 打 戲 時 ， 帶 來 更 精 彩 的 表 演 。


WARNER BROS. PICTURES Presents

A SILVER PICTURES Production

JET LI

DMX

"CRADLE 2 THE GRAVE"

ANTHONY ANDERSON

KELLY HU

TOM ARNOLD

with MARK DACASCOS

and GABRIELLE UNION

Directed by ANDRZEJ BARTKOWIAK

Produced by JOEL SILVER

Executive Producers
HERBERT W. GAINS
RAY D. COPELAND

Screenplay by JOHN O'BRIEN and CHANNING GIBSON

Story by JOHN O'BRIEN

Music by JOHN FRIZZELL and DAMON "GREASE" BLACKMAN

Director of Photography DARYN OKADA, A.S.C.

Edited by DEREK G. BRECHIN

Co-Producers

SUSAN LEVIN

MELINA KEVORKIAN

Leader. Thief. Warrior. Father.

Armed with a potent combination of charisma, street smarts and martial arts expertise, Tony Fait (DMX) navigates the menace of the urban landscape with passionate precision, taking care of business and his fiercely loyal crew of professionals (ANTHONY ANDERSON, GABRIELLE UNION and DRAG-ON) with a dedication surpassed only by his love for his young daughter Vanessa (PAIGE HURD).

After pulling off a complex heist involving a cache of black diamonds, Fait quickly comes fist-to-fist with Su (JET LI), a Taiwanese government agent who has pursued the extraordinary stones halfway across the world. As lethal as he is relentless, Su isn't just hunting down diamonds - he's hunting the ruthless Ling (MARK DACASCOS), his former partner, who kidnaps Fait's daughter in a ploy to exchange her for the stolen jewels.

But when word hits the street that Fait stashed the stones with his fence Archie (TOM ARNOLD), the diamonds promptly wind up in the hands of a powerful crime lord (CHI McBRIDE).

His back to the wall, Fait mobilizes his crew, suspends his strict no-guns policy and prepares to unleash every force at his disposal to save his daughter. But only Su knows Ling well enough to anticipate his every move - and after he dispenses with Ling's operatives in an explosive display of martial prowess, Fait realizes Su could be his best hope for bringing Vanessa home alive.

Adversaries by code but allied by circumstance, the master thief and the enigmatic agent join forces to wage war on their common enemy: Su to exact revenge against the man who once tried to take his life and Fait to rescue Vanessa, the one person that he cannot live without.

Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Silver Pictures production starring JET LI and DMX. Cradle 2 the Grave also stars ANTHONY ANDERSON, KELLY HU, TOM ARNOLD, MARK DACASCOS and GABRIELLE UNION. The film is directed by ANDRZEJ BARTKOWIAK and produced by JOEL SILVER. HERBERT W. GAINS and RAY D. COPELAND are the executive producers. The screenplay is by JOHN O'BRIEN and CHANNING GIBSON from a story by John O'Brien. The music is by JOHN FRIZZELL and DAMON "GREASE" BLACKMAN. DARYN OKADA, A.S.C. is the director of photography. The film is edited by DEREK G. BRECHIN and co-produced by SUSAN LEVIN and MELINA KEVORKIAN.

Cradle 2 the Grave will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, an AOL Time Warner Company.

* * *

EAST MEETS WEST: HIP-HOP KUNG FU

America's gritty hip-hop ethos collides with the poetic intensity of Hong Kong cinema in the new action thriller Cradle 2 the Grave, an explosive fusion of Eastern martial arts and Western street culture that reunites world champion martial artist and action film star Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, Kiss of the Dragon, Lethal Weapon IV) with platinum-selling hip-hop artist DMX (Exit Wounds, Romeo Must Die), director Andrzej Bartkowiak (Exit Wounds, Romeo Must Die) and renowned producer Joel Silver.

"This new type of hip urban action picture - Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds and now Cradle 2 the Grave - all come from the same aesthetic," says Joel Silver, producer of The Matrix trilogy, Die Hard and the Lethal Weapon series. "Each one has gone a step further and Cradle is the best yet."

Written by John O'Brien (Starsky & Hutch) and Channing Gibson (Lethal Weapon IV), Cradle 2 the Grave tells the intricate story of streetwise urban entrepreneur Tony Fait, played by DMX, who clashes with Jet Li's enigmatic Taiwanese intelligence agent Su over a cache of mysterious black diamonds. "This movie is complicated and not easily summarized," Silver cautions. "It isn't a traditional buddy action movie, and it isn't driven by a clichéd adversarial relationship. Fait and Su are rivals bonded by a mutual enemy, and the story is about how they decide to find the diamonds together and both get what they need."

In Fait's case, he needs the stones to exchange for the life of his young daughter Vanessa, who has been kidnapped by Su's traitorous former partner. "I was able to relate to Fait and the feelings that a parent would have if any harm came to his child," says DMX, the father of three boys. "I wanted to bring all of those emotions to the character - the anger, the hopelessness, the panic."

Taking care of business as the passionately poised Fait gave DMX the opportunity to take his acting to the next level with his trusted collaborators, Silver and director Andrzej Bartkowiak. "I enjoy working with Joel and Andrzej," says X, as he's known to colleagues and crew. "They encourage me to just be me."

"X is a natural," Silver notes. "He's incredibly charismatic, he was fantastic in Exit Wounds and he's evolved into a wonderful actor."

Like Fait, Su projects a controlled but palpable strength and resolve. "Su's only focus is his job," Li says. "He doesn't care about people. He only cares about getting his job done and stopping the bad guy - in this case, Ling, who betrayed him and tried to kill him."

"Jet is terrific in this movie," asserts Silver. "He's very stoic and exudes a tremendous strength, and it's riveting when he and X are onscreen together. They're both equally powerful but very different forces to be reckoned with, and when they face off, you don't know what's going to happen."

It was through Jet Li that kickboxing champion and martial arts expert Mark Dacascos was cast as Su's nemesis, the sadistic Ling. "We did a survey through my website," Li explains. "We asked my fans who they would most like to see me fight on screen, and the overwhelming response was Mark."

"I've been a Jet Li fan for seventeen years, maybe longer," enthuses Dacascos, the child of kung fu instructors who has been studying martial arts since he was four years old. "The first film I saw of Jet's was The Shoalin Temple. It was incredible, and ever since then he's been one of my heroes. I was thrilled to get the opportunity to work with him in Cradle 2 the Grave."

"I saw Mark in a French film called The Brotherhood of the Wolf and he was incredible," Silver says. "Not only is he a capable actor, he has the skills to execute an authentic, hard-core fight with Jet. The fans will be blown away."

Indeed, Dacascos prepared intensely for his physically demanding role. "I tried to anticipate what Jet might throw at me, but then I realized it wouldn't matter because he's so incredibly fast I probably wouldn't be able to see it," he jokes. "But I trained even harder than usual so I would give him an exceptionally good fight."

Black belt bad girl Kelly Hu (The Scorpion King), who has been referred to in the media as a "karate hottie" for her striking combination of drop-dead beauty and martial arts expertise, portrays Ling's lethal sidekick Sona. "Working with Mark has been amazing," says Hu. "He kept surprising me with his ability, pulling off moves I didn't think anyone could do. He's a true martial artist and a gentleman."

Rising star Gabrielle Union (Bring It On, Deliver Us from Eva) plays Daria, the lone woman in Tony Fait's high-tech crew. "She's strong, she's loyal and she's a team player," Union says of Daria, whose diverse talents range from giving seductive lapdances as diversionary tactics to kick-ass street fighting skills.

"Gabrielle is just magic," Silver says. "She's very talented, beautiful, a total pro who delivers everything you need from her."

In the film, the multi-faceted Daria shares a deep bond with Fait, a sexy counterpoint to her playful off-screen relationship with DMX. "I was a fan of X's music even before joining this project, and I expected him to be extra hard-core when I met him," Union recalls. "But he's a pussy cat. He's so sweet when he smiles, I call him my little doll face. He doesn't like that too much. He's like, Okay, Gab."

No doubt audiences will feel the cinematic tension layered into the spectacular action sequences that drive the film. "The chemistry between Gabrielle and DMX is electric," Silver reveals. "They're both extremely charismatic and they share a very intense connection on-screen."

"This is my third movie with X and my second with Gabrielle," says Anthony Anderson (Exit Wounds, Romeo Must Die), who acted opposite Union in the 2001 romantic comedy Two Can Play That Game. "Working with them is like hanging around your favorite cousins every day."

The Silver Pictures veteran brings his signature gusto to the role of Tommy, Fait's smooth-talking multi-purpose player. "He drives a tank, he busts through a wall, he shoots a gun...that's Tommy," Anderson wisecracks. "Normally I get my butt whipped in movies. This time, I get to sit back and watch somebody else get beat. Yeah! HA! How'd that one feel? Huh?"

"Anthony is just fantastic, a truly funny guy. He's always on, and he always takes his scenes further than the page," says Silver.

Rounding out Fait's crew are machinery expert Miles, played by DMX' close friend and Exit Wounds costar Drag-On, and his fence Archie, played by Tom Arnold. "Archie deals everything from arms to flat screen TVs to refrigerators," Arnold says. "If it can fit in your truck, he can get it for you."

"The audience really responded to Tom in Exit Wounds, and we liked the humor he added to the movie, so we brought him back in Cradle," Silver says.

Even Jet Li was no match for Arnold's skills. "I can fight fast," Li says, "but Tom can talk even faster."

Guiding this talented ensemble through Cradle's genre-bending landscape is director Andrzej Bartkowiak, a former director of photography known for his stunning cinematography on the blockbuster hits Lethal Weapon IV, Speed and Terms of Endearment.

Cradle 2 the Grave marks Silver's fourth collaboration with the director, beginning with Lethal Weapon IV. "I knew when we were making Lethal IV that Andrzej was a really talented guy," Silver remembers. "But it was Keanu Reeves who suggested to me that Andrzej should direct a picture. Keanu had just worked with him on The Devil's Advocate and said 'I would let him direct me.' Keanu is an extremely precise and cautious guy, so I knew he wouldn't take that position unless it was valid. Then Romeo Must Die came along and Andrzej made the transition to directing with great results. It's become a very rewarding partnership."

Known for his indefatigable work ethic ("He's tireless," Dacascos reports), Bartkowiak's penchant for shooting with multiple cameras - as many as nine rolling simultaneously to cover numerous angles of a scene - presented a unique challenge to his crew. From a lighting standpoint, multiple camera lensing requires creating the look and mood for an entire environment, rather than creating the light for one specific shot.

"Filming with multiple cameras gives you an advantage because the process goes much faster, it makes for less wear and tear on the cast and you can preserve your actors' improvisational work by banking several angles of coverage," Silver explains. "Being a former cinematographer, Andrzej knows how to light for multiple cameras, he knows which camera placement will capture the most effective shots, and he how to make the sight lines work."

"As long as Joel and Andrzej want to make movies, I'll make movies with them," says Anderson. "Andrzej gives his actors freedom."

RING OF FIRE: ULTIMATE FIGHTING AND BEYOND

Cradle 2 the Grave combines the power and beauty of Eastern martial arts, the grittiness of Western street fighting and some of the most intricate, spectacular stunt sequences ever filmed. "The fights in this film are fresh and unique," promises Silver, who uses the phrase "hip-hop kung fu" to describe the film genre he and Bartkowiak have pioneered with Silver Pictures' trilogy of hip urban action pictures, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds and now Cradle 2 the Grave. "One of the most exciting things about working with Jet is that he does all the fighting himself, which makes sequences completely authentic and the audience knows that. At the same time, DMX's music is incredibly powerful and he brings that power and authenticity to the screen. When you see his fight scenes, you believe that he is a street fighter."

Another key player in creating Cradle's dynamic fight sequences is legendary martial arts director Corey Yuen (Lethal Weapon IV, Romeo Must Die). "Corey is a giant talent, and he and Jet are always looking for something new to make the fights exciting and original," Silver says.

"We wanted the fighting in Cradle to be very brutal and real, rather than highly stylized, so we decided to limit our wire work," Silver continues. "The fight choreography in this movie is less fanciful than it is grounded in the reality of physical combat, so the fighting doesn't feel as theatrical as it does tough and hard."

For weeks prior to production, Li and Yuen developed and choreographed the film's numerous intense and intricate fight scenes. "Corey and I have the same philosophy about action movies," says Li, who has worked extensively with Yuen in Hong Kong and the U.S. "The character and the story are more important then the punches."

Li and Yuen's choreography for the brutally fierce Cradle fight sequences are driven by character and an understanding of the actors' diverse fighting styles. "We examined each of the characters and the different situations they confront and then designed a variety of moves and fighting styles to suit them," Yuen explains. "The characters not only have their own personal fighting style, they also apply specific moves to specific situations. They have to use different types of martial arts for different purposes: to stop someone, to injure or to kill."

At the outset of production, Yuen and Li established an original fighting style for Li's character Su, the enigmatic Taiwanese Intelligence agent whose one-handed prowess proves he is without equal. "The first fight sequence we shot was when I mix it up with Drag-On in the subway," recounts Li. "Corey choreographed this quick series of moves, but I had nothing to do with my left hand, so I put it in my pocket and only used my right hand to fight. Andrzej liked it, so we decided to make it Su's signature style. He only fights with one hand except when he's going for the kill, at the end of the film when I take on Ling in the ring of fire."

Before filming each fight sequence, Yuen teaches the choreography to the stunt performers, videotapes the action and then shows it to the actors to inform their training and rehearsal. Stunt coordinator and 2nd unit director Dan Bradley (Panic Room, Swordfish, Three Kings) worked closely with Yuen to stage the elaborate fights. "We didn't try to change DMX's fighting style or Drag-On's style," says Bradley. "We tried to take what they would do naturally and use it in the choreography to give the fights more realism and impact."

"Corey and his team create choreography where the fighting complements my style, and he makes it easy to learn," adds DMX.

Gabrielle Union trained intensely for her demanding role as the multi-talented Daria, her action film debut. "It was really fun, especially when I got to whip Kelly Hu's ass a little bit," says Union, who also worked with Fatima, the award-winning choreographer behind Aaliyah's hit video "Try Again" from the Romeo Must Die soundtrack, to develop her moves for the seductive lapdance Daria performs at a critical point in the story. "The lapdance scene shows how loyal Daria is," Union offers, "and that she's able to put her own feelings aside for the good of Fait and the crew."

"Not only is Gabrielle a talented and intelligent actress, but she proved to be a natural at the fight and dance work the role demanded," Silver confirms.

DMX was equally impressed. "I have to give it up to Gabrielle," growls the platinum rapper. "We trained together, and I'm not the easiest person to train with. I learned a lot from her."

Union also took inspiration for her martial arts bravado from Li. "Jet is the most professional actor I've ever worked with. When they say 'Cameras ready at 7:15, Jet is there at 7:14, on his mark, ready to go. He's amazing to watch. His hand and foot speed are incomparable."

"Jet's done some amazing work onscreen, but he takes it to another level in this film," says Kelly Hu, who has a formal martial arts background and a black belt in karate. "Everyone else has really stepped up their game too. I think my martial arts training helped me a lot because it's easy for me to learn choreography and I'm very familiar with martial arts in general. I also think my karate background helps me to look more like a tough female fighter instead of a girl trying to do martial arts."

"I knew Kelly is a former beauty pageant winner, but who knew she was a black belt?" Union marvels. "I watched her learn how to do an aerial for our fight scene and I was amazed by her flexibility and finesse."

One of the trickiest fight moves required of DMX also involved aerial acrobatics. While grappling with thugs in an alley, Fait runs up a wall and somersaults off the surface, landing on the street below. "That's the first time I've ever done a back flip in my life," says DMX, who utilized a wire harness to execute the mid-air move.

The fight continues with Fait and Li double-teaming their opponents, knocking them into a fence that collapses, releasing two ferocious Dobermans. Fait and Su charge for a car as the dogs tear after them. "The timing was impeccable," DMX says of his work with Li in the scene. "Not only do Jet and I handle our business, we make it look good."

One of the most original and visceral sequences in the film was inspired by Silver and Bartkowiak's passion for Ultimate Fighting, a no-holds-barred combat sport in which highly skilled fighters unleash a combination of mixed martial arts to best their competitors. "In normal kung fu movies, you would never see a martial arts guy like Jet taking on a bunch of Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters who are all bigger, stronger and presumably tougher than he is," Silver observes.

It took ten days to film the battle that pits Li against fifteen free style combatants in a cage enclosed in cyclone fencing and surrounded by a rabid, bloodthirsty crowd. Production designer David Klassen created the illicit fight club set - complete with a cage wall that collapses on the crowd as Li battles his opponents astride it - in the basement of a parking garage in downtown Los Angeles.

"In the original script I was supposed to fight four or five guys in the cage, but Joel wanted the stakes to be even higher, so we added more fighters," Li remembers. "I think in real life they could kill me in a second, but my character has survived life-and-death situations and he knows how to handle himself."

"It was quite a challenge to find fifteen guys to fight Jet who were anywhere near his capability," says stunt coordinator Bradley. "We had an extensive audition process to find the best guys around to do this job."

Three of the fighters Su faces are real-life Ultimate Fighting Champions: two time Heavyweight Champion Randy "The Natural" Coture; current Light Heavyweight Champion Tito Ortiz; and the current Light Heavyweight number one contender, Chuck Liddell.

Martial arts technical advisor Stephen "The Fight Professor" Quadros, one of the foremost authorities on combat sports and a broadcast commentator for mixed martial arts and kickboxing events around the world, was brought onto the project to coordinate and supervise the no-holds-barred fights between Tito Otiz, Chuck Liddell and various second unit fighters. "The main difference between mixed martial arts, or Ultimate Fighting, and movie fighting is that as a real fighter, you don't want to show any pain or emotion, whereas in front of the camera you want to do the opposite," Quadros notes.

"These UFC guys are full contact fighters and they fight for real," Silver emphasizes. "They wail on each other to the point where it's scary. When we were filming, we told them they didn't have to be so hard on each other because we needed to do a lot of takes. But they said 'It's okay, we know what we're doing.' Then we start rolling again and it's Bam! Boom! And there's blood everywhere."

In designing the choreography of this ambitious sequence, Corey Yuen worked with the Ultimate Fighters extensively. "These guys want you to punch them hard, but of course Jet doesn't want to use a real kick on them," Yuen says. "Martial arts, and particularly movie martial arts, are much more choreographed than free style fighting. But the fighters got the hang of it pretty quickly and they did a great job."

"Corey outdid himself with this scene, it's so beautifully choreographed," Silver says of Li's Ultimate combat. "It's one of the best fights in the movie."

The visceral intensity of the Ultimate Fighting sequence can only be surpassed by the film's explosive finale, in which Su finally unleashes a deadly two-handed fighting assault against his former partner-turned-nemesis Ling while surrounded by a ring of eight-foot flames.

The ring of fire was created by building a false tarmac over slotted pipes fitted underneath the flooring. The special effects team controlled a flow of propane gas to the pipes, igniting different sections of the ring as required for each shot. Initially, Bartkowiak wanted to shoot the entire sequence with the actors completely surrounded by flames, but the heat generated by the full circle of fire proved too intense and dangerous for the fighters and crew. (Visual effects supervisor Boyd Sherman and his VFX team "completed" the circle in post-production.)

Shot over the course of several nights, the battle between Su and Ling was designed and executed largely without the use of wires. "There are a couple of wire moves involved, but for the most part, we fight hand-to-hand and foot-to-foot, which is what I prefer," Dacascos reports. "And we both take some really good hits."

Su and Ling's heated battle takes place following an incredible helicopter crash orchestrated by special effects supervisor Mike Meinardus. As Ling tries to escape via helicopter, he is shot down by Fait's crew and the aircraft crashes into a wall, setting off a massive explosion and severing a water main, which spews hundreds of gallons of water on Su and his nemesis as they clash in the circle of flames.

To prepare for this sequence, Meinardus and company mounted one helicopter on an elaborate rail system buried in the tarmac, which gave the special effects team complete control of its movements. A second helicopter was attached to a huge crane and hoisted 30 feet in the air while explosives were ignited.

During the course of the volatile finale, Fait comes face to face with his kidnapped daughter Vanessa and takes on the thug who stands between him and her safety. "He pushes Vanessa toward me and when I reach for her, he kicks the gun out of my hand. So I have to fight this guy while my daughter's holding on to me for dear life," X relates. "Shooting the scene, I was really able to draw on how it would feel to see somebody hurting my little girl like that."

ALL-TERRAIN STUNTS: FROM THE MEAN STREET TO THE P.C.H.

In addition to the spectacular fight scenes, Cradle 2 the Grave rips up the screen with never-before-seen action sequences like Fait's high-octane indoor/outdoor ATV chase. "X loves ATVs, and I thought it would be great to use them in Cradle because we've never really seen them in an urban chase before," Silver says. "They're more controllable than an automobile, more interesting than a motorcycle and they can really get airborne. X did a lot of the riding in the movie, even though it was extremely dangerous and we didn't want him to do it."

"I did as many of my stunts as they would allow me to do," says DMX, who counts the exhilarating ATV pursuit as his favorite sequence to film for Cradle 2 the Grave. "I love riding quads. By the end of the movie, I improved my wheelie technique. I can do a whole block now."

In the frenetic sequence, Fait breaks out of handcuffs, neutralizes two cops and steals a quad bike, blazing down the street as a motorcyclist gives chase. The riders drive through a plate glass window into a factory building, ascend a staircase to a busy sweatshop where they roar through racks of clothes and Fait finally jumps through a window onto a neighboring rooftop. A series of mind-bending rooftop jumps ensue.

Dan Bradley designed the furious ATV chase. "To come up with stunts that haven't been seen before was a pretty audacious challenge," admits Bradley, who tapped DMX's stunt double, Jalil "Jay" Lynch, a licensed pro motocross racer, to handle the more precarious aspects of this bracing ride.

Stunt coordinator Scott Rodgers designed a complicated pulley system that enabled the jumps to be executed with minimal risk to the riders. Lynch pulled off the final soaring ATV jump in one amazing take, which was lensed by using a camera mounted on a cable supported by two huge cranes, and simultaneously photographed by a steadicam mounted on a helicopter.

While the ATV chase sequence depicts Fait's finesse and poise under pressure, Su's dramatic descent from the roof of a cliffside high-rise building demonstrates his remarkable agility and timing. Vaulting backwards off the roof, Su free-falls through the air and momentarily grabs a balcony railing below. Letting go, he continues to free-fall, dropping railing-to-railing until he reaches a balcony belonging to Christophe, the buyer who has hired Fait and his crew to steal the much-sought-after cache of black diamonds.

"When we were creating the opening of this film," Silver recalls, "we sat with the writers and the art department and the stunt guys and discussed what we haven't seen onscreen before. What haven't we experienced before? What is something that hasn't been done?"

In turn, Silver, Bartkowiak and company designed a unique application for the descender, a stunt rig that is used in filming high falls. "This pulley system allows a stunt man to fall in a way that slows his descent at a rate undetectable to the audience, but he never hits the ground, which is safer than doing a high fall and landing on an air bag," Silver explains. "We were told the descender could be used with a new computer program that rigs it to descend, stop, descend, stop and so on. So we came up with an idea where Jet arrives at the roof of this building he needs to gain access to, and we thought 'Wouldn't it be cool if he just walked to the edge of the roof, casually jumped off and dropped from floor to floor until he gets where he needs to go?' And the scene turned out spectacularly."

The production filmed this breathtaking sequence on a building located off the Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica. Li and his stunt double executed the descent using a special harness rig designed to emulate high falls with minimal risk to the stunt performers. "I think this scene shows that Su's skills enable him to have total control of his body even in the most extreme situations," Li suggests.

"Originally we wanted to shoot Jet's rooftop descent with helicopter, but it just wasn't feasible given the building's proximity to the beach," explains executive producer Herb Gains. "We decided to use a giant construction crane instead and we were able to fully capture the awesome scope of this stunt."

X GON' GIVE IT TO YA: A TRULY ORGANIC SOUNDTRACK

Cradle 2 the Grave not only reflects the creative contributions made by the filmmakers and its diverse cast and crew, but is further enhanced by a cabal of the music industry's top-selling recording artists, several of whom are signed to DMX's label, Bloodline Records. "Bloodline and Def Jam worked really hard with us to create a truly organic album that feels like it comes from the movie," Silver says. "It's not just a bunch of tracks from nowhere. All the artists who contributed to the soundtrack read the script, saw scenes from the picture and knew what we were trying to do. And they all contributed songs that really help convey the story."

DMX wrote and recorded three original tracks for Cradle, including "Right Wrong," a song that underscores a central theme of the film. "Everybody's got choices to make, and whichever way you go, you're going to be held accountable for what you do," DMX muses. "When I wrote the lyrics for 'Right Wrong,' it almost brought me to tears. It's a deep joint."

"X Gon' Give It To Ya," the first single and video from the film, was crafted by DMX in less than two hours at a Chicago recording studio. "The producer put this beat on, and when it dropped I wrote the whole song right then and there," DMX says.

The Cradle soundtrack also features "Go To Sleep," DMX's forceful collaboration with hip-hop impresario/actor Eminem that fuels the film's dynamic jewelry exchange robbery, as well as tracks from 50 Cent, Clipse, Fat Joe, Foxy Brown, Drag-On and Bloodline recording artists Bazaar Royale, Kashmir and Big Stan.

"Putting the Cradle 2 the Grave soundtrack together has been a very effective and exciting experience," says Silver, "and the album is off the hook."

~ Cradle 2 the Grave ~

ABOUT THE CAST

World-renowned martial arts master and Asian film sensation JET LI (Su) is currently starring in acclaimed director Yimou Zhang's Hero, nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film (China). At present, Li is filming Danny the Dog opposite Morgan Freeman for director Luc Besson in Paris, and he recently starred in Kiss of the Dragon and The One in 2002.

Li made his English-speaking film debut in the 1998 mega-hit franchise Lethal Weapon 4. A national treasure in his homeland of China, Li portrayed the villainous Asian crime lord. The role was a complete change of pace for Li, who, in his previous 25 films, had always portrayed the hero.

Li was born in Beijing and enrolled in the Beijing Amateur Sports School for wushu training at the age of eight. His mentor, Coach Wu Bin, designed extra and more rigorous exercises for Li, who demonstrated the natural talent and perseverance required for wushu training.

After three years of intensive instruction, Li won his first national championship for the Beijing Wushu Team. As part of a world tour in 1974, he had the distinction of performing a two-man fight for President Nixon on the White House lawn.

For the next four years, Li remained the All-Around National Wushu Champion.

He was discovered for films by Director Hsin Yen and offered the starring role in the historical epic Shaolin Temple, about a young monk whose father is killed by the Emperor's nephew. The film was an enormous success that spawned two sequels and propelled Li to instant stardom.

Li made the leap into Hong Kong films with the critically acclaimed box-office sensation Once Upon a Time in China for director Tsui Hark, which vaulted him into superstardom. The film proved so popular that Li starred in three of its five sequels, including his last Asian-produced film, Once Upon a Time in China and America.

Now residing in Los Angeles, Li continues to work with American filmmakers and studios. Li starred in the hit film Romeo Must Die for producer Joel Silver and director Andrzej Bartowiak; Cradle 2 the Grave marks Li's second collaboration with this dynamic team. Teaming with TBS Superstation, Alliance Atlantis Communications and Mel Gibson's Icon Productions, he will soon be producing Invincible, an original telefilm and series pilot. Featuring the ancient martial art wushu, American audiences can expect spectacularly choreographed, death-defying action sequences in the distinctive Hong Kong filmmaking style.

DMX (Fait) made his motion picture debut in Hype Williams's controversial film Belly, portraying the leading role of a hustler from Queens out to get his - no matter what.

He followed this with the role of Silk, a hip-hop club owner determined to survive amidst gang wars in producer Silver and director Bartkowiak's Romeo Must Die. DMX's portrayal was so powerful that it immediately led to his starring turn opposite Steven Seagal in Silver and Bartkowiak's next film, Exit Wounds. Cradle 2 the Grave marks DMX's third collaboration with Silver and Bartkowiak and his second time working with Jet Li.

DMX is a top rap artist whose first three albums debuted at number one and sold well over fifteen million records in just two years. After stand-out performances on tracks like LL Cool J's 4.3.2.1., The Lox's Money, Power, Respect and Mase's 24 Hours to Live, DMX got the world's attention with his own bona fide street anthem, Get At Me Dog. His groundbreaking first album It's Dark and Hell is Hot, released in May, 1998, debuted at number one and quickly went multi-Platinum. Six months later he released the classic horror-film-on-wax, Flesh of My Flesh, Blood of My Blood, which also held the top spot on the charts making DMX the first artist ever to have two number one debuts in the same year. His offering, And Then There Was X, was released in 1999 and, once again, entered the charts at number one.

DMX's recent soundtrack contributions include powerful additions to the smash films The Fast and the Furious and Rush Hour 2.

ANTHONY ANDERSON (Tommy) is a hot new star taking Hollywood by storm. In the last three years alone his career box office gross reached nearly $1 billion dollars domestically and he has starred in six number one films. Last year he also received his second NAACP Image Award nomination, and became a television star/creator/producer as he sold a sitcom - based on his life - to The WB.

2003 will truly be the year that Anderson becomes an established star and a household name. Anderson recently starred opposite Jerry O'Connell in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced hit Kangaroo Jack, which opened at number one in January in the United States. Upcoming projects for Anderson include joining Jamie Kennedy in the Warner Bros. Pictures comedy Malibu's Most Wanted and starring with Eddie Griffin in the comedy My Baby's Mama. All of this happens just in time for the premiere of his WB television series, All About the Andersons, which will feature Anthony in an episode that he also wrote.

Though still in his twenties, Anderson is well prepared for the attention. Raised near Los Angeles, he is the son of a career film extra and her entrepreneur husband. As a toddler he accompanied his mother to several film sets and by age four he knew acting was his destiny. While attending the High School for the Performing Arts, Anderson earned first place in the NAACP's ACTSO Awards by performing the classic monologue from The Great White Hope. His dedication and talent earned him a dramatic arts scholarship to Howard University. Then he headed home to Hollywood.

In early 1996, Anderson landed his first gig as a series regular in NBC's long-running kids' series Hang Time. That was followed by guest star turns in primetime shows J.A.G. and NYPD Blue. His breakout feature film roles include Life with Eddie Murphy; Big Momma's House with Martin Lawrence; Me, Myself and Irene with Jim Carrey; Romeo Must Die with Jet Li; and the recent blockbuster hit from MGM, Barbershop. He also starred in Fox Searchlight's Kingdom Come and Warner Bros. Pictures' Exit Wounds. On the small-screen, kingmaker David E. Kelley was so impressed with Anderson that he tailor-made a two-episode arc for him on the hit series Ally McBeal.

Anderson is married to his college sweetheart and is a father of two. He lives with his family in Los Angeles.

KELLY HU (Sona) most recently starred in Universal Pictures' box-office hit The Scorpion King, the prequel to The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Hu played the lead role of Cassandra opposite The Rock as the Scorpion King.

Hu recently wrapped her latest project, X-Men 2, where she stars as Yuriko Oyama (aka Lady Deathstryke), opposite Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry, opening May 2nd.

Born in Honolulu of Chinese, Hawaiian, and English ancestry, Hu always wanted to be an actress. Determined to begin her career, Kelly catapulted into the spotlight in 1985, when she was crowned Miss Teen USA; and in 1993, she was crowned Miss Hawaii USA, going on to become a finalist in the Miss USA Pageant. Her exposure in contests led to modeling assignments, working both in the U.S. and internationally on accounts such as Ivory Soap and Mary Kay Cosmetics. In Italy, Kelly has become a celebrity as the Philadelphia Cream Cheese Girl, doing eleven commercials over a six-year span.

Her feature film credits include her role as Dorothy Manzarek in Oliver Stone's The Doors, and she has also appeared opposite Russell Crowe in No Way Back.

In addition to her feature film roles, Hu starred in the television action drama Martial Law which received a TV Guide award for Best New Drama Series. She also co-starred with Don Johnson and Cheech Marin in Nash Bridges.

Although already a black belt in martial arts, Hu continues her training in both karate and kickboxing and currently studies in Los Angeles. Kelly is dedicated to delivering a strong female character that not only has beauty but also kicks butt.

As a writer, producer, and actor, TOM ARNOLD (Archie) has established himself with both television and film audiences worldwide, having won such awards as the Peabody Award for writing, and a Golden Globe for writing and producing.

Arnold can currently be seen hosting The Best Damn Sports Show Period on the Fox Sports Net where he joins former major league baseball slugger John Kruk, former NBA All-Star John Salley and Ex- NFL Super Bowl Champion D'Marco Farr in this one-hour sports/entertainment television show combining the sports and comedy worlds in a unique "guy talk" format.

After first working with director Bartkowiak and producer Silver in the action film Exit Wounds opposite Steven Seagal and DMX, Cradle 2 the Grave re-teams Arnold with Bartkowiak and Silver.

Arnold began his career in comedy at the University of Iowa before moving to Minneapolis, where he won the Minneapolis Comedy Competition in 1988. He then moved to Los Angeles to write on the highly successful television series Roseanne before eventually serving as executive producer for the sitcom. He went on to star in three installments of his own HBO special entitled Tom Arnold: The Naked Truth, and then wrote, produced and starred in three of his own television series The Jackie Thomas Show, Tom and The Tom Show.

Arnold's other film credits include Nine Months with Hugh Grant, Julianne Moore, and Robin Williams; James Cameron's True Lies with Arnold Schwarzenegger; Hero with Dustin Hoffman; Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery with Mike Myers; and in Animal Factory, directed by Steve Buscemi, Arnold received great critical notice for his portrayal of a convict.

Born in Iowa, he has established a writing scholarship and runs an acting workshop for students at the Indian Hills Community College in Iowa. He is also very active with the San Diego Center For Children, which cares for abused and neglected children, as well as The Race to Erase MS, The Kayne-Eras Center and Hollygrove children's home.

Arnold currently resides in Los Angeles.

With well-received roles in both television and film, MARK DACASCOS (Ling) is well on his way to becoming a sought-after leading man. Dacascos was most recently seen in the French box-office hit and critically acclaimed Brotherhood of the Wolf (Le Pact Des Loups) opposite Monica Belluci, Samuel Le Bihan and Vincent Cassell. Brotherhood of the Wolf is based on a well-known French legend about a mysterious creature who is laying waste to the countryside in a rural province in France and savagely killing scores of women and children. Dacascos plays "Mani," an Iriquois Indian who befriends the wolves of the forest to unearth the Beast's lair.

Dacascos is an exotic blend of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Spanish and Irish. His parents were both internationally recognized martial arts champions who established dojos all over the world. He was born in Hawaii, but raised primarily in Hamburg, Germany, where he won his first martial arts tournament at the age of eight. At eighteen he took the European Championship title.

Dacascos was seen in Stanley Tong's China Strike Force starring opposite rapper Coolio, and in Gustavo Graef Marino's The Perfect Husband based on the best-selling novel.

Dacascos starred in the hugely successful syndicated television series The Crow: Stairway to Heaven, which was inspired by the feature film, and in many cult favorite action films including Crying Freeman, Drive and Only the Strong. His other film credits include Universal's Double Dragon, Dimension's No Code of Conduct, New Line's The Island of Dr. Moreau and Showtime's Dragstrip Girl. Television credits include Martial Law, One West Waikiki and Tales From the Crypt.

Dacascos resides in Los Angeles.

In just a few short years GABRIELLE UNION (Daria) has managed to build up an impressive resume. Union recently filmed the romantic comedy Deliver Us from Eva for director Gary Hardwick and appeared in the ensemble comedy Welcome to Collinwood as well as the thriller Abandon, Stephen Gaghan's directorial debut, opposite Benjamin Bratt and Katie Holmes.

Union's recent credits include a starring role in The Brothers and co-starring opposite Kirsten Dunst in Bring It On as a rival cheerleading captain. Additionally, Union can be seen opposite Vivica A. Fox in the feature film Two Can Play That Game, Love & Basketball, Ten Things I Hate About You and She's All That.

Union guest-starred last season on the hit television comedy Friends, and joined the cast of Steven Bochco's television drama, City Of Angels. She made her television debut on United Paramount Network's hit comedy Moesha, and then went on to guest star on hit television shows such as ER, Dave's World and The Steve Harvey Show. Union has also had a recurring role on two WB hit shows, Sister Sister and 7th Heaven.

Union recently wrapped filming Bad Boys II as Will Smith's love interest.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

Director ANDRZEJ BARTKOWIAK made his directorial debut with Romeo Must Die, starring Jet Li and Aaliyah, and followed that smash success with Exit Wounds, starring DMX.

Bartkowiak began his career as a cinematographer working on commercials and independent films before collaborating with director James Ivory on the PBS adaptation of John Cheever's short story, The 5:48.

His long affiliation with director Sidney Lumet includes his work on the Oscar-nominated drama The Verdict and ten additional features, Prince of the City, Deathtrap, Daniel, Garbo Talks, Power, The Morning After, Family Business, Q & A, A Stranger Among Us and Guilty as Sin.

Bartkowiak has also photographed the Academy Award-winning Best Picture Terms of Endearment and the Oscar-nominated John Huston classic Prizzi's Honor. His other credits include Good Man in Africa, Jade, Species, Dante's Peak, Speed, Losing Isaiah, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Hard Promises, Twins, Nuts, Falling Down, The Devil's Advocate, U.S. Marshals, Lethal Weapon 4 and Thirteen Days.

JOEL SILVER (Producer) is one of the most successful producers in the motion picture industry today. His films have earned a combined gross of over $3.85 billion worldwide, averaging over $100 million per picture. His 1999 production The Matrix grossed over $456 million worldwide, earning more than any other Warner Bros. Pictures film in the Studio's history at the time of release. Universally acclaimed for its groundbreaking storytelling and visuals, The Matrix also won four Academy Awards, including the award for Best Visual Effects, and was the first DVD release to sell one million units.

Silver is currently producing the next two highly anticipated chapters in the Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. The Matrix Reloaded is scheduled for release on May 15, 2003, with Revolutions to follow in November 2003.

Silver is also producing The Animatrix, a groundbreaking collection of nine short films inspired by the visionary action and innovative storytelling that power The Matrix. This spectacular fusion of CG-animation and Japanese anime features Final Flight of the Osiris, a nine minute short that serves as an explosive prelude to The Matrix Reloaded. Final Flight of the Osiris will accompany the worldwide release of the film Dreamcatcher.

In addition, Silver also supervised the release of The Matrix Revisited, a special-edition DVD that includes extensive behind-the-scenes footage of the making of The Matrix, as well as an exclusive preview of The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

Silver is currently producing Gothika, directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and starring Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz, through his Dark Castle Entertainment division. Gothika is scheduled for release in the U.S. in October 2003. Silver and Robert Zemeckis launched Dark Castle, the production entity they formed in the spirit of the late horror impresario William Castle, with the record-breaking release of House on Haunted Hill, which opened at number one on Halloween of 1999. This was followed by the successful Dark Castle releases Thirteen Ghosts and Ghost Ship.

Most recently, Silver produced the hit films Swordfish, starring John Travolta, Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry; Exit Wounds, starring Steven Seagal and DMX; and Romeo Must Die, featuring Jet Li and Aaliyah.

Silver began his career at Lawrence Gordon Productions, where he ultimately ascended to president of motion pictures for the company. He associate produced The Warriors and, with Gordon, produced 48 HRS., Streets of Fire and Brewster's Millions.

Silver's first independent production under his Silver Pictures banner was Commando, followed by Jumpin' Jack Flash and Predator. Silver then produced Lethal Weapon, Lethal Weapon 2, Lethal Weapon 3 and Lethal Weapon 4, as well as Die Hard, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, The Last Boy Scout, Demolition Man, Richie Rich and Conspiracy Theory. He executive produced, with Richard Donner, David Giler, Walter Hill and Robert Zemeckis, eight seasons of the award-winning HBO series Tales From the Crypt, as well as two Tales From the Crypt films.

While a student at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey in 1967, Silver and a group of his friends invented a game called Ultimate Frisbee. The fast-moving team sport has since become a global phenomenon supported by tournaments in 42 countries. One of the fastest growing sports in the world, Ultimate Frisbee was played as a medal sport in the 2001 World Games held in Akita, Japan. In 2002, well over two thousand players representing twenty-four countries competed in the World Flying Disc Federation's World Ultimate Club Championships in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Executive Producer HERBERT W. GAINS most recently worked with director Jake Kasdan on the comedy Orange County, served as executive producer for the Tollin/Robbins production Hardball, starring Keanu Reeves and Diane Lane, and executive produced Summer Catch, starring Freddie Prinze, Jr. His past work includes serving as co-producer for the highly successful Varsity Blues, Ready to Rumble, Daylight and Dragonheart.

Previously, Gains was production manager for films such as The Negotiator and Mouse Hunt. As assistant director, he worked on a variety of films that included Natural Born Killers, Heaven & Earth, Point Break, Pacific Heights, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Dirty Dancing and The Fan.

Gains is currently completing work as producer on Michael Tollin's Radio, with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ed Harris.

Over the past two decades, Mount Vernon has distinguished itself as a music mecca. Affectionately referred to as 'money earnin' Mount Vernon', this Westchester county has produced some of the most prolific producers, songwriters, singers, music industry executives of our time, and boasts an impressive list of music pioneers who have made invaluable contributions to the genre of Rap/Hip Hop music.

Born in Mount Vernon, RAY COPELAND (Executive Producer) attended Mount Vernon High School. Amidst an atmosphere of creativity and change, he shared classes, and dreams, with the likes of Eddie E., Heavy D., Pete Rock, C.L. Smooth, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, and in turn, witnessed the evolution of Rap/Hip Hop first hand. And while he enjoyed and was enthused by the emergence of this bold new sound, he decided that his career would take a different path - in academia. Completing high school, he went on to college to pursue undergraduate studies in Psychology. Upon graduation, he commenced his career in education as a provisional teacher and guidance counselor. His concern for others and innate sense of community service compelled him to offer tuition services to the incarcerated youth program for Westchester and the inmates at Rikers Island.

And while Mr. Copeland arduously toiled in the classroom, molding the minds and nurturing the dreams of our youth, Rap/Hip Hop music was forging new frontiers, breaking down barriers and making an inroad into Middle America. Many of his friends and associates from Westchester had found great success as artists, producers, executives and entrepreneurs in the music business. One such team was the Ruff Ryders Records camp, headed by the Dean brothers and their sister Chivon. Also from the Westchester area, the Deans had always been close friends to Ray Copeland - and their premier artist DMX (who incidentally is Ray Copeland's nephew) had firmly established himself as a strong musical force of contention. Along with the Dark Man X, the Ruff Ryders team had amassed an impressive roster of artists that included Drag-On, Eve and Parle.

They needed someone who cared enough about the artists and the music, and who possessed the street savvy and the business acumen to guide and direct the careers of their clients. Ray Copeland was the obvious choice. So he left behind a world of classrooms and chalk and set his sights to the creation of a management company that would have one basic goal - the education and well-being of the artist.

As the CEO/President of Bar Entertainment, Ray Copeland has created a home for his artists. Known as "Uncle Ray," he is proud of the environment of genuine care and concern that exists in his company and Copeland has successfully transferred his training in helping his students realize their full potential to helping his artists reach for their dreams. "I look at the artist/manager relationship as a partnership, in which each entity has a certain responsibility. As long as both partners remain committed to their individual responsibilities, the relationship thrives as a whole," states Ray.

Bar Entertainment currently handles the careers of DMX, Drag-On, Parle, Yukmouth and A+. And just for the records, A+ is not only the artist managed by Ray Copeland, it is the passing grade that each of his clients has awarded him.

Cradle 2 the Grave marks screenwriter JOHN O'BRIEN's first produced screenplay. Going into production next for O'Brien is the Warner Bros. picture Starsky & Hutch, starring Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson, which begins lensing in early 2003.

O'Brien's other feature projects in development include Jack's Night and Stroke.

A graduate of Yale University, CHANNING GIBSON (Screenwriter) was raised in Iowa and Nebraska. He began his career as a freelance writer for television series such as Family before becoming a story editor and, eventually, producer on the series St. Elsewhere, for which he received multiple nominations for the Emmy, Humanitas and Writers Guild Awards. Gibson went on to write and produce for the series Tattinger's and Nick and Hillary.

Gibson began a collaboration with Steven Bochco in 1991 with prodigious results: he wrote and co-executive produced Civil Wars for two seasons; co-created and executive produced The Byrds of Paradise; wrote and co-executive produced one season of NYPD Blue (he won an Emmy for Best Drama Series) and co-created Murder One.

Cradle 2 the Grave marks Gibson's second collaboration with producer Joel Silver following their blockbuster success with Lethal Weapon 4, Gibson's first produced film script.

In 1993, JOHN FRIZZELL (Co-Composer) orchestrated for Academy Award winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto on Oliver Stone's landmark miniseries Wild Palms. After hearing his aggressive integration of synthesized sounds with traditional orchestra, Los Angeles producer John Sacret Young hired him to score the Fox television series VR5.

After moving to Los Angeles he met composer James Newton Howard, who became an encouraging mentor to John's young film scoring career. Howard composed the main themes, which Frizzell incorporated into his scores for The Rich Man's Wife, starring Halle Berry, and Dante's Peak, directed by Roger Donaldson.

These scores led to John's work on Alien Resurrection, starring Sigourney Weaver and directed by France's esteemed filmmaker, Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Twice he has collaborated with director Mark Rydell, scoring HBO's Crime of the Century and James Dean, the latter featuring the Golden Globe winning performance by James Franco. John has also worked with writer/director Mike Judge on the hit animated feature, Beavis and Butt-Head Do America and the cult comedy classic, Office Space, starring Jennifer Aniston and Ron Livingston. In addition, John scored Sally Field's romantic comedy, Beautiful, Kevin Williamson's Teaching Mrs. Tingle, and Mafia!, a comedy from director Jim Abrahams.

John's recent credits include Josie and the Pussycats starring Tara Reid, Rachael Leigh Cook and Rosario Dawson; Scorched, a comedy directed by Gavin Grazer and starring John Cleese, Woody Harrelson and Alicia Silverstone; Lockdown and Ron Maxwell's Civil War epic Gods and Generals. Cradle 2 the Grave marks John's third film with producer Joel Silver, following their collaboration on Thirteen Ghosts and Ghost Ship.

Cradle 2 the Grave marks DAMON "GREASE" BLACKMAN's (Co-Composer) second collaboration with producer Joel Silver and director Andrzej Bartkowiak, following his work with them on Exit Wounds.

DARYN OKADA, A.S.C. (Director of Photography) began his film career at age sixteen working in almost every department on the low-budget independent feature Phantasm for writer/director Don Coscarelli. Pursuing his interest in cinematography, by the early eighties Okada was working as a cameraman on independent projects including Phantasm II and Survival Quest.

1989 marked Okada's first collaboration with director Steve Miner, on the mini-series Elvis: Good Rockin' Tonight, which lead to future work with Miner on the feature films Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken, My Father the Hero, Big Bully, Halloween: H20, Lake Placid and Texas Rangers.

Okada's other film credits include Dr. Doolittle 2, Joe Somebody, Captain Ron, Black Sheep, Airborne, Senseless, Anna Karenina and Martin Lawrence Live: Runeldat.

For television he was nominated for the American Cinematographer's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography in a Mini-Series for his work on In a Child's Name, and shot the movies Separated by Murder, the pilot for A Mother's Instinct and Vanishing Point. He also worked with Miner and Kevin Williamson on Dawson's Creek.

DEREK G. BRECHIN's (Editor) previous collaborations with director Bartkowiak and producer Silver was as editor on the fast-paced action movies Exit Wounds, starring Steven Seagal and DMX, and Romeo Must Die, starring Jet Li and Aaliyah. Prior credits include his work as an editor on Thirteen Ghosts for producer Joel Silver, Deep Blue Sea, Breakdown, and Roland Emmerich's sci-fi adventure Stargate.

Brechin's additional editing credits include assisting on the blockbuster films Die Hard, Total Recall and Basic Instinct as well as serving as second editor on Executive Decision.

SUSAN LEVIN (Co-Producer) began working at Silver Pictures in 1999, when she joined the company as Vice President of Production, overseeing the development and production of such projects as Ghost Ship, Thirteen Ghosts and Swordfish. In addition to her current role as Executive Vice President of Production at Silver Pictures, she also oversees development for Dark Castle Entertainment, the production entity formed by Joel Silver and Robert Zemeckis to produce a diverse slate of horror films.

Prior to her tenure at Silver Pictures, Levin worked on the hit films Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, spearheaded the development of its spin-off live action and animated TV series, and associate produced the feature film Beowulf for Dimension Films.

Levin is a graduate of the University of Southern California's School of Cinema/Television.

Cradle 2 the Grave marks MELINA KEVORKIAN's (Co-Producer) first producing credit. An alumnus of the University of Southern California, Kevorkian has previously worked with producer Joel Silver on film projects including Exit Wounds, Swordfish, Thirteen Ghosts and The Matrix Revisited, as well as the next two highly anticipated chapters in the Matrix trilogy, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. The Matrix Reloaded is scheduled for release on May 15, 2003, with Revolutions to follow in November 2003. Currently in pre-production, Kevorkian's next project will be Gothika, starring Halle Berry and Penelope Cruz.

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