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MIKE REYNOLDS
Odyssey Network is giving In Demand the first peek at The Prince and the Pauper.
The $6 million movie, produced by Hallmark Entertainment, will debut on the pay-per-view purveyor Feb. 3 before it premiers on the family-oriented network in June.
Hallmark is a part-owner and key program supplier of Odyssey, which originally announced its plan to showcase the movie a year ago at the Television Critics Association Tour. The arrangement gives Hallmark a quick opportunity to recoup some if its investment in the production.
"We permitted [Hallmark Entertainment] to move the film to pay-per-view for a limited run because it was a win/win financial agreement for everybody," says an Odyssey spokesman.
Neither Odyssey nor In Demand would comment on the specific deal points. Calls to Hallmark Entertainment were not returned.
Depending on its performance, the film could serve as a precursor to future collaborations between the entities.
"If all the parties are satisfied with the success of The Prince and the Pauper, then we might explore the possibilities of future titles," says Dan York, SVP-programming and development at In Demand.
For In Demand, The Prince and the Pauper is an opportunity to broaden its programming portfolio.
"We're excited about The Prince and the Pauper. Hallmark Entertainment is recognized globally for its outstanding family entertainment," says York. "We've done concerts and other live events, but this marks the first time a scripted project will make its premiere on In Demand."
The classic Mark Twain tale, starring Alan Bates and Aidan Quinn, carries a suggested retail of $3.95 and will encore throughout February.
Odyssey, which debuted Hallmark's versions of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Hound of the Baskervilles, will premiere Voyage of the Unicorn, the first miniseries developed exclusively by Hallmark for the channel, on March 2-3.
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