National Lampoon Acquires Lady Killers

National Lampoon announced today that the company has partnered with Delfino Entertainment to release a new film comedy, National Lampoon's Lady Killers.

National Lampoon's Lady Killers stars Will Friedle (Boy Meets World) and Chris Owen (American Pie and American Wedding) as down-on-their-luck losers who court and marry two wealthy, elderly sisters. The scheming young grooms hope to inherit the sisters' Beverly Hills estate, but the sisters -- played by veteran comedic actresses Renee Taylor (The Nanny) and Louise Lasser (Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman) -- have an agenda of their own. Nikki Ziering (American Wedding) also is featured as the guys' dream girl.

"With a fresh premise and studio-quality production values, 'Lady Killers' is both hysterical and smart," said Doug Bennett, executive vice president of National Lampoon. "We screened the film at the 2003 CineVegas Film Festival and the audience laughed so loud that they missed some of the jokes."

A comedy powerhouse for more than 30 years, National Lampoon is the company that created National Lampoon magazine, the most widely read humor magazine in publishing history, as well as National Lampoon's Animal House and the National Lampoon's "Vacation" films. The company launched the National Lampoon Network in early 2003, a TV network which serves college and university communities throughout the United States, including major institutions of higher learning both in and out of the Pac 10, Ivy League, and Big 10. The network reaches nearly one in four of all 18- to 24-year-old college students.

Written and directed by Gary Preisler and produced by Delfino principles Don Ashley and Preisler, National Lampoon's Lady Killers is scheduled to open in U.S. theaters in Spring, 2004. Preisler, whose producing credits include Eight Days a Week starring Keri Russell, is currently developing several new comedies and recently completed his first novel.

"Our test screenings have proven to us that we're sitting on a sleeper hit and I'm thrilled to be joining forces with National Lampoon," Preisler said.

Said Ashley, "National Lampoon's brand name and reputation with college audiences is a perfect match for the picture's comedic sensibility -- a mix of broad slapstick and witty satire."