By Rob M. Worley
Courtesy of Comics2Film

It was announced yesterday that Mimi Polk Gitlin, through her Mandolin Entertainment, has optioned the comic book series Shi from creator Billy Tucci.

Shi, which has been published by Tucci's Crusade Fine Arts, has been published in 6 languages, sold over 4 million comics and has had gross revenues in excess of 25 million.

Tucci's highly-successful independent comic has been a top selling action-thriller. Shi centers on a strong, independent woman of twenty-first century America who has come to New York City bound by ancient beliefs to avenge and bring honor to the deaths of her father and brother. Although working by day as a liaison at the Japanese Embassy, at night her warrior personality kicks in, entangling her in a series of investigations led by a New York City detective who falls in love with her while helping her come to terms with the profound revelation of her alter ego.

"We see Shi as a major motion picture franchise that incorporates original action sequences with elements á la Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon into a contemporary New York detective thriller," says Gitlin.

Kevin Bernhardt (Tears From Heaven) is attached to write the script in collaboration with Tucci. Bernhardt has just completed a rewrite on Dan Halsted's Black Friday as well as the book adaptation Way of the Peaceful Warrior with Michael Rymer (Queen of the Damned) attached to direct.

Tucci, known for his perfectionism, has combined his absorbing writing and fantastic artwork to form one of the most outstanding series in the past decade. Not content to rest on his laurels as a successful indie comic creator and publisher, Tucci has more recently branched out into filmmaking, recently completing his short Some Trouble of a SeRRious Nature. The film has already met with critical praise and even collected the prestigious Long Island Film/TV Foundation Finishing Fund Grant.

While developing the script, Gitlin is simultaneously looking to develop Shi as an interactive game.

Gitlin has recently completed the Mandolin Production Trapped with her partner Luis Mandoki directing, starring Kevin Bacon, Charlize Theron, Stuart Townsend and Courtney Love to be released by Sony in September. Gitlin is executive producing Need starring Halle Berry which Mandoki is attached to direct for Escape Artists.

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