FREEFORM AND MARVEL ANNOUNCE LEAD CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM FOR HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SERIES 'MARVEL'S CLOAK & DAGGER'

Olivia Holt (Former Disney Channel star and Hollywood Records recording artist) and Aubrey Joseph ('Run All Night,' 'The Night Of') Will Star in the Title Roles

Joe Pokaski ('Underground,' 'Heroes') is Set as Showrunner/Executive Producer

Gina Prince-Bythewood ('Love & Basketball') is Set to Direct

Freeform and Marvel today announced the cast and creative team for its highly anticipated series, "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger," a live-action adaptation of the popular Marvel comic.

"Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" is a coming-of-age series based on the beloved comic book characters. Tandy Bowen and Tyrone Johnson come from starkly different backgrounds, each growing up with a secret they never dared share with another soul. The series is co-produced by Marvel Television and ABC Signature Studios. Joe Pokaski ("Underground," "Heroes") will serve as showrunner and executive producer; Jeph Loeb, Marvel's head of Television and Jim Chory will also serve as executive producers. Gina Prince-Bythewood ("Love & Basketball") is set to direct the first episode.

Olivia Holt (former Disney Channel star and Hollywood Records recording artist) will portray Tandy, a once privileged little girl, who watched as her family was destroyed by a disastrous storm that uprooted her life. Now in her late teens, an unexpected encounter with a boy named Tyrone sparks a life-changing event. Aubrey Joseph ("Run All Night," "The Night Of") will portray Tyrone who as a young man wanted nothing more than to prove he was fearless; but when everything he held close was taken away, life taught Tyrone to be afraid. Now older and more sheltered, Tyrone closes himself off. But when he meets a girl named Tandy his life changes forever. Additional cast for "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" will be announced at a later date.

"We are proud that Olivia and Aubrey will be the faces of Freeform's first Marvel series," said Karey Burke, executive vice president, Programming & Development, Freeform. "These characters were very sought-after roles, but Olivia and Aubrey were undeniable."

"Marvel is delighted to have found our 'Cloak & Dagger.' Olivia Holt and Aubrey Joseph encompass the true essence of the characters and we are excited for the audience to see them in these roles," said Jeph Loeb, head of Marvel Television and executive producer.

Joe Pokaski said, "The characters of Tandy and Tyrone have always stood out to me ever since I first met them in the pages of Marvel comics when I was a boy. When Olivia and Aubrey read for the roles, these characters leapt off the page. We're so excited to see what these talented young actors bring to the Marvel Universe."

About Freeform

Part of the Disney|ABC Television Group, Freeform connects to audiences and goes beyond entertainment with bold original programming and immersive social engagement. The network delivers a unique mix of quality original and acquired series, plus fan favorite movies and the holiday events "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas." The Freeform app is a service that allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on-demand access via a wide array of devices.

About Marvel Entertainment and Marvel Television

Marvel Entertainment, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies, built on a proven library of more than 8,000 characters featured in a variety of media over seventy-five years. Marvel utilizes its character franchises in entertainment, licensing and publishing. Marvel Television develops and produces some of the world's most creative and popular live-action and animated programming for broadcast and cable television networks plus digital platforms including a historic deal with NETFLIX. Its portfolio of self-produced series includes "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., " "Marvel's The InHumans" for ABC, "Marvel's Daredevil," "Marvel's Luke Cage," and the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning "Marvel's Jessica Jones" for NETFLIX and "Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man," "Marvel's Avengers" and "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy" for Disney XD. Marvel Television's upcoming projects include "Marvel's Iron Fist and the culminating Marvel's The Defenders" for NETFLIX as well as "Marvel's The Punisher" (NETFLIX), "Marvel's Cloak & Dagger" (Freeform), "Legion" (FX), and "Marvel's Runaways" (Hulu). For more information, visit marvel.com. � 2016 MARVEL

About ABC Signature Studios

ABC Signature is ABC Studios' boutique division spearheading development and production in premium and basic cable, as well as digital platforms. They are currently in post-production on the half-hour comedy pilot, "SMILF," for Showtime, based on the Sundance Award-winning short film from Frankie Shaw who wrote, directed and will star in the series. Shaw produces with Groundswell and Quantity Entertainment. Additionally, Signature co-produced with Fifty Fathoms the John Ridley series "Guerrilla," for Sky Atlantic and Showtime, starring Freida Pinto, Babou Ceesay and Idris Elba, which will premiere this spring. Marvel Studios and ABC Signature are also in pre-production on straight-to-series "Marvel's Runaways" for Hulu. Signature's credits include "Dead of Summer", "Blood & Oil", "Benched" and the Emmy-nominated HBO film "Confirmation," starring Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce.