ABC FAMILY PREMIERES FIRST ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES 'WILDFIRE' MONDAY, JUNE 20

Production from Lions Gate Television Introduces Genevieve Cortese in an Ensemble Cast Featuring Dennis Weaver

Burbank, CA (May 16, 2005) � ABC Family launches its first scripted series WILDFIRE, a drama set in the world of horse racing, with a two-hour movie premiere Monday, June 20 (8:00 - 10:00 PM ET/PT), followed by 11 one-hour episodes airing consecutive Mondays beginning June 27 (8:00 � 9:00 PM ET/PT). The series, produced by Lions Gate Television in association with Piller� and The Segan Company, centers on the struggles of a teenage girl (gifted newcomer Genevieve Cortese) to turn her life around. The film also stars veteran actor Dennis Weaver ("McCloud"), Nana Visitor (�Star Trek: Deep Space Nine�), Greg Serano (�Kingpin�) and Micah Alberti ("All My Children").

WILDFIRE follows eighteen-year-old Kris Furillo (Cortese) who, after serving time at a juvenile detention center, is given the opportunity to start a new life. Her talent with horses is recognized by a volunteer and local trainer (Serano), who arranges a job for her at the Ritter's family run ranch. Thrown into a completely new environment, Kris must learn to deal with the challenges of fitting in, while trying not to disappoint the one family willing to give her a chance. The Ritters are facing challenges of their own even as they reach out to help Kris. The family patriarch Henry (Weaver) and his daughter Jean Ritter (Visitor) are in a critical stage of their battle to save the ranch from financial ruin.

Rounding out the ensemble cast are Nicole Tubiola, Andrew Hoeft, Ryan Sypek and James Read.

WILDFIRE is executive produced by Michael Piller (�The Dead Zone,� "Star Trek: The Next Generation," "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," "Star Trek: Voyager") Lloyd Segan (�The Dead Zone,� "The Bachelor," "Boondock Saints," "Bones"), and Marjorie David (�Millennium,� �Chicago Hope,� �Dark Angel�). Steve Miner (�Dawson�s Creek,� �Smallville�), Shawn Piller (�The Dead Zone,� �Star Trek: The Next Generation,� �Star Trek: Voyager�) and Sandy Isaac (�Wild Card,� �Thieves,� �Jack & Jill�) are co-executive producers. The two-hour pilot, which will kick off the series, was produced by Preston Fischer ("Las Vegas," "Living With The Dead") and directed by Steve Miner from a teleplay by Michael Piller and Shawn Piller and story by Michael Piller and Christopher Teague.

Lions Gate Television is the television production and distribution arm of Lions Gate Entertainment (NYSE: LGF; TSX). With a total of five series on the air or scheduled to air shortly, the company is continuing its strategy of being an important supplier of content to cable and broadcast networks. Lions Gate Entertainment is the premier independent producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of approximately 8000 titles is one of the largest in the entertainment industry. The Lions Gate brand name is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.

Distributed in over 88 million homes, ABC Family features original movies, series and specials. Programming that is reflective of today's families � with all of their diversity, dysfunction, humor and passion. Real stories. Real families. Real heart.