INTERNATIONAL DRAFT

About the Production: THE STORY

Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips) is out dirt biking, through the lush Hawaiian
landscapes, when he stumbles upon the vicious and brutal murder of a
prominent LA prosecutor at the hands of the well known, but elusive gangster,
Eddie Kim. Kim hoped this hit would put the criminal investigation into his drug,
racketeering, child prostitution and weapons businesses to rest, but an
eyewitness spoils everything. Sean is now the sole person to see him directly
commit the crime and consequently, he now becomes the only witness capable
of ensuring this slippery and notorious criminal, gets put away in prison for life. To
accomplish this, Sean must first be convinced to go before a Los Angeles grand
jury, and to do that, he must get off the island and to the mainland, without being
silenced by Kims assassins. This is not easily accomplished since Kim and his
crew are well aware of what Sean saw, and that he is the prosecutions only
chance at crumbling their criminal empire. They will do anything necessary to
stop him.
FBI agent Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) is an expert on dangerous
situations. He has already saved Sean from Eddie Kims first murder attempt only
hours after he witnessed the crime. Flynn is ready for the challenge of getting
Sean to Los Angeles and putting away one of Americas most wanted criminals.
The plan is to use a private plane as a decoy while commandeering the first class
upper deck of a commercial airliner to smuggle Sean out to LA in time to testify.
However, an airport informant lets the Kim mob in on the plan to use a Pacific Air
red eye flight to get Sean to Los Angeles instead of the decoy private jet, so now
the Kim only needs to ensure the plane never gets to LA or that Sean never gets
off the plane alive. How will he do itSNAKES on the plane.
Hundreds of poisonous snakes of every shape, size and venom are smuggled on
board the cargo hold and then time-released into the plane after take off. They
slither through the planes underbelly, through air vents and electrical wiring,
destroying key plane operating mechanisms. Once they make their way into the
general cabin space, they terrorize and kill on hyper-instinct, as in the cargo hold,
these snakes have been inhaling pheromones causing them to be more
aggressive and thus a more deadly threat than usual. To survive the attack, the

crew and passengers must work together to keep themselves as far away from
the snakes as possible, not easy given they can silently creep out of any space
at any time. Flynn and Claire Miller (Julianna Margulies), a flight attendant and
soon to be law student, do all they can to keep everyone calm and collected in
this crisis. It is the passengers and crew who must be enlisted to stop the attack,
land the plane safely and help Agent Flynn keeps Sean alive.
Among these passengers and crew are Mercedes (Rachel Blanchard), a rich LA
party-girl, glued to her phone and traveling with her little dog Mary-Kate; Three
Gs (Flex Alexander), an up and coming rap star and germ-a-phobe traveling with
his entourage Troy (Kenan Thompson) and Big Leroy (Keith Dallas); young
mother Maria traveling with her young baby(Elsa Pataky); crew flight attendants
Ken (Bruce James), soon to retire, Grace (Lin Shaye) and the flirty Tiffany
(Sunny Mabrey). This group must now band together if they have any chance of
surviving the snake attack or the possible reptile-induced mechanical failure of
their flight from 30,000 feet above.
New Line Cinemas action thriller SNAKES ON A PLANE stars Samuel L.
Jackson (Coach Carter, Stars Wars: Episodes III Revenge of the Sith), Julianna
Margulies (ER, Ghost Ship) and Nathan Phillips (Australian Rules, Under the
Radar), is directed by David R. Ellis (Final Destination 2, Cellular) and produced
by Gary M. Levinsohn (Saving Private Ryan, The Patriot), Don Granger
(Timeline) and Craig Berenson. The films screenplay is by John Heffernan.
The films outstanding ensemble cast also includes Rachel Blanchard (Without a
Paddle, Where the Truth Lies), Flex Alexander (One on One), Kenan Thompson
(My Bosss Daughter, Fat Albert), Sunny Mabrey (XXX: State of the Union),
European film and television star Elsa Pataky, Lin Shaye, Bobby Cannavalle and
David Koechner.
Behind the scenes, a talented production team including Director of Photography
Adam Greenberg (The Terminator, The Santa Clause 2), Production Designer
Jaymes Hinkle (The Perfect Score, Cellular), Costume Designer Karen Matthews
(Stealing Sinatra, White Noise), Editor Howard Smith (Blade Trinity), Visual
Effects Producer/Supervisor Erik Henry (Dracula, Gothika), and renowned snake
handler Jules Sylvester helped bring the film to life.
Snakes on a Plane is scheduled for a 2006 theatrical release.

About the Production: CAST BIOS

SAMUEL L. JACKSON (Neville Flynn) is respectfully labeled as one of the
hardest working actors in Hollywood and an undisputed star, demonstrated by
the fact that his films have grossed more in box office sales than any other actor
in the history of filmmaking. His numerous film credits include the Stars Wars
trilogy Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and
Episode III: Revenge of the Sith; XXX and XXX: State of the Union; The Red
Violin, The Negotiator, Shaft, Rules of Engagement, Coach Carter, Kill Bill
Volume II, The Incredibles, S.W.A.T., Goodfellas, and Unbreakable.
Jackson most recently starred in the adventure comedy The Man with Eugene
Levy and will soon appear in the Revolution Studios drama Freedomland,
directed by Joe Roth and co-starring Julianne Moore.
Jackson has received numerous accolades including Golden Globe nominations
(Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, A Time to Kill, Against the Wall) and an Academy
Award nomination (Pulp Fiction); Best Supporting Actor awards from Cannes
(Jungle Fever), the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) (Pulp
Fiction), the New York Film Critics Awards (Jungle Fever), and the Cable Ace
awards (Against the Wall); a Silver Bear Award for Best Actor in a Comedy at the
Berlin Film Festival (Jackie Brown), and an NAACP Image Award (A Time To
Kill). Jackson was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2000
Deauville Film Festival.
JULIANNA MARGULIES (Claire Miller) is world renowned for her phenomenal
work as Nurse Carol Hathaway on ER, for which Margulies received an
unprecedented six consecutive Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (she won once). For the same role she
was nominated five times for the Golden Globe Award and twice won the Screen
Actors Guild Award for Best Actress in a Dramatic Series.
Margulies other television credits include the mini-series The Mists of Avalon, for
which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, Hitler: The Rise of Evil and, most
recently, the critically acclaimed The Grid. Her feature film credits include The
Newton Boys, Dinosaur, The Man From Elysian Fields, Searching for Debra
Winger, Evelyn, and Ghost Ship.
Margulies will soon also be seen on the big screen in The Darwin Awards and
Chlorine, and on television in Where is the Mango Princess?
NATHAN PHILLIPS (Sean Jones) is an up-and-coming Australian actor who has
been working steadily with a wide range of roles to his credit. They include his
starring role in Australian Rules, the romantic comedy Take Away, a drama about
rave culture called One Perfect Day, and Under the Radar, a comedic thriller in

which Phillips plays a surfer, having fibbed to the director about his surfing
abilities to get the part. Phillips also starred in You and Your Stupid Mate, an
Australian film best likened to the American Dumb & Dumber.
Phillips first made an impact on the North American audience in Wolf Creek,
picked up by the Weinsteins right before premiering at Sundance 2005. The film,
based on the true story of the mysterious disappearances of backpackers along
the Hume Highway in Australia over a period of about 12 years, received a
standing ovation at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.
In addition to Snakes on a Plane, Phillips will soon be seen in The Opposite of
Velocity.
RACHEL BLANCHARD (Mercedes) most recently starred as the young woman
who is found mysteriously dead in David Cronenbergs Where the Truth Lies, as
Flower in Steven Brills comedic road-trip movie, Without a Paddle, and was
recently cast in Comeback Season opposite Ray Liotta. Blanchards other
feature film credits include Wild Dogs and Chasing Holden; Nailed, starring
Harvey Keitel; Sugar & Spice, starring Mena Survari; as Tiffany Henderson in the
feature film Road Trip, with Tom Green; as Monica Jones in The Rage: Carrie 2;
and in On My Own, starring Judy Davis.
On the small screen, Blanchard starred as Roxanne Richardson for two seasons
on the series 7th Heaven and as Cher Horowitz on the series Clueless. She also
can be seen on television in the MOW Young Ivanhoe, starring Stacey Keach,
and as the young Debi McCullough in the sci-fi series War Of The Worlds.
Most recently Blanchard completed filming the pilot Quarter Life and gueststarred as Nancy on the BAFTA-nominated British comedy series, The Peep
Show.
FLEX ALEXANDER (Three Gs), a New York native, got his start in
entertainment as a dancer and choreographer working with the likes of Salt N
Pepa, Queen Latifah, Toni Tony Ton, and Mary J. Blige. In 1992 he made the
leap to acting with Juice and the television series Uptown Comedy Club. This
was followed by the series Where I Live and regular roles in Steven Bochcos
Total Security and the UPN comedy Homeboys in Outer Space.
Alexanders additional television credits include guest-starring roles in Girlfriends,
Cuts, New York Undercover, Brooklyn South and The Parkers, and the MOWs
Ice and Santa and Pete, the latter opposite James Earl Jones. Alexander
recently portrayed Michael Jackson in the VH1 biopic Man in The Mirror.
Alexanders feature film credits include Im Perfect, opposite Wayne Brady; Her
Minor Thing, opposite Estella Warren; City of Industry, opposite Harvey Keitel;
The Sixth Man, co-starring Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison; and Out Cold.

Alexander has also enjoyed a successful stand-up comedy career, having

performed everywhere from Manhattans Uptown Comedy Club and Stand Up
New York to The Improv, The Laugh Factory, Showtime at the Apollo, and The
Comic Strip. He has both acted in and produced UPNs One on One for five
seasons.
A native of Atlanta, Georgia, KENAN THOMPSON (Troy) made his television
debut as a member of Nickelodeons all-kid sketch comedy series, All That, and
its spin-off show, Kenan and Kel. Thompson is now in his second season as a
featured player on Saturday Night Live; in his first season, Thompson made
numerous contributions to the show including impressions of Bill Cosby, Rev. Al
Sharpton and Star Jones. Thompson also had a recurring role on the WBs
Felicity.
Thompson recently starred in the title role of Fat Albert in the feature live-action
update of the classic cartoon. Other feature film credits include D2: The Mighty
Ducks, Good Burger, Rocky & Bullwinkle, Barbershop 2, Heavyweights with Ben
Stiller, and The Boss Daughter with Ashton Kutcher.
Canadian actor KEITH DALLAS has worked extensively on both American and
Canadian television and feature projects including principal roles in such TV
series as Neon Rider, Dark Angel, Seven Days, UC: Undercover, Da Vincis
Inquest, Cold Squad, The Twilight Zone, and The Collector. Among his film
credits are Final Destination 3, Underclassman, A Guy Thing, I Spy, Scary Movie,
and Romeo Must Die.
LIN SHAYE is a veteran with over 30 years on the screen, a prolific supporting
actor with no less than nine credits in 2005 alone including Hate Crime, 2001
Maniacs, Vegas Baby, and Hoboken Hollow with Dennis Hopper. In addition to
Snakes on a Plane, 2006 will see Shaye in Surf School, Hood of Horror, and
Driftwood. Shayes other credits include David R. Ellis Cellular, with Kim
Basinger; A Cinderella Story, with Hilary Duff; the Farrelly Brothers Stuck on
You; Say It Isnt So, with Heather Graham and Sally Field; Living Out Loud, with
Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito, and Queen Latifah; and Theres Something About
Mary, with Cameron Diaz, Matt Dillon, and Ben Stiller.
BRUCE JAMES makes his debut with Snakes on a Plane.
SUNNY MABREY (Tiffany) made her feature film debut in the Revolution Studios
comedy The New Guy, followed by the independent film A Midsummer Nights
Rave. She then co-starred in Species III, and as Charlie Mayweather in XXX:
State of the Union. In addition to her film work, Mabrey has guest-starred on
such acclaimed TV shows as CSI: Miami, Angel, Lateline, and the critically
acclaimed House, MD.

ELSA PATAKY (Maria) is one of the most exciting young actresses to burst onto
the international scene. A native of Spain, Elsa has appeared in over ten
Spanish films and most recently crossed over into the French market with her costarring role in the box office hit Iznogoud (2004). Her most recent project is the
upcoming Spanish film Ninette, helmed by Oscar-winner Jos Luis Garci.
Elsa attended the Universidad de San Pablo were she studied journalism.
During her free time Elsa enrolled in acting classes and eventually left school
when she was cast in the successful television series Al Salir de Clase. This led
to film roles such as El Arte de Morir, a box office hit. Twelve more films followed
in various genres comedy, drama, action, and horror some of which were
co-productions with the UK and France which introduced her to working in
English and French. Today, Elsa speaks four languages: Spanish, French,
English and Romanian.
Elsa has studied with ngel Gutirrez and Paco Pino in Madrid and was a
member of the theatre company Teatro Cmara de ngel Guitirrez, also in
Madrid.

About the Production: FILMMAKER BIOS

With over thirty years of experience as a stuntman, stunt coordinator and second
unit director, Director DAVID R. ELLIS made a name for himself as one of the
most sought-after action second unit directors in Hollywood, garnering an
impressive list of box office hits such as Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone,
The Perfect Storm, Master and Commander, Matrix Reloaded, and Matrix
Revolutions.
Ellis made his directorial debut on Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco,
then directed the hit thrillers Final Destination 2 and Cellular before taking the
helm of Snakes on a Plane.
Producer GARY L. LEVINSOHN, as founder and co-partner of Mutual Film
Company, has been attached to some of the industrys highest profile and most
profitable films, establishing himself as one of the most successful
financier/producers in the motion picture industry. Mutual, which Levinsohn
established in 1996 for the production, co-financing and international distribution
of feature films, has earned a reputation as a highly innovative film financing
entity, known both for delivering eclectic, high quality films and its relationships
with overseas distributors, broadcasters and theater owners. Some of the titles
Levinsohn has been involved with under the Mutual Film banner include: Saving
Private Ryan, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, and which
received 11 Academy Award nominations and grossed over $400 million
worldwide; the Tomb Raider franchise starring Angelina Jolie; The Patriot,
starring Mel Gibson, which received three Academy Award nominations; the
critically acclaimed Wonder Boys, starring Michael Douglas and directed by
Academy Award -winning director Curtis Hanson, which garnered three Academy
Award nominations; A Simple Plan, directed by Sam Raimi and starring Billy
Bob Thornton; The Jackal, starring Bruce Willis and Richard Gere; and 12
Monkeys, starring Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt and directed by Terry Gilliam, which
was also nominated for two Academy Awards .
Producer DON GRANGER made his debut as an Executive Producer on
Paramounts Timeline, based on the Michael Crichton novel. Grangers next film
is Lone Wolf and Cub, a live-action adaptation of Kazuo Koikes graphic novel
series, again for Paramount.
Producer CRAIG BERENSON is a graduate of Lawrence University where he
majored in Theatre Arts. He began his film career as an actor on such films as
Airplane!, Airplane II, The Three Amigos, and numerous television shows.
In the early 1990s, Craig segued from acting into film development/production.
He first worked as an executive at Davis Entertainment and supervised the

productions of Grumpy Old Men, Grumpier Old Men, Fortress I and II, Storyville,
Gunmen, and the HBO movie The Last Outlaw, starring Mickey Rourke.
In September 1999, Berenson was hired to run the live action division of
Patchwork Productions, a company formed by then Dreamworks Animation CoPresidents Sandra Rabins and Penney Finkelman Cox. Berensons duties
included supervising internal development of spec material while also developing
original ideas for the company. Projects included Boone, WDIA In Memphis, and
now Snakes on a Plane.
In 2002, Berenson left Patchwork to form Berenson Pictures Inc. The company
focuses on developing with writers and directors both selective spec projects and
original material. Current projects include 36 Hours at Warner Bros., and
Barking Orders at Lakeshore Entertainment. Other feature projects include: Bay
City, by Eddie Richey, to which Nicolas Cage is attached; The Resurrectionist,
based on the book by Gary Wolf; Cowboys and Indians by Scott Sommer; and a
thriller project with Gary Scott Thompson, the creator and Executive Producer of
NBCs Vegas. Television projects include Hearts Afire, by Donald Reiker and
Patrica Jones, and an Untitled Comedy from Joe Ide, creator of Rising Son.
Director of Photography ADAM GREENBERG has over 40 years behind the
lens. He has worked on many memorable films including James Camerons The
Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day, both starring Arnold
Schwarzenegger; Turner and Hooch, starring Tom Hanks; Ghost, starring Demi
Moore and Patrick Swayze; Sister Act, starring Whoopi Goldberg; Ivan Rietmans
Dave, starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline; Barry Levinsons Sphere,
starring Dustin Hoffman, Sharon Stone, and Samuel L. Jackson; Ben Ratners
Rush Hour, starring Jackie Chan; and Collateral Damage, again with
Schwarzenegger. Prior to Snakes on a Plane, Greenberg manned the camera
on The Santa Clause 2.
Production Designer JAYMES HINKLE began in the art department on such
films as the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon franchises, as well as Blade Runner,
Heavens Gate, Thief, and 48 Hours, eventually working his way first to Art
Director on the HBO series Tales From the Crypt, and finally to the helm on the
TV movie Parker Kane. Since then he has included in his feature credits Loaded
Weapon, Ready to Rumble, The Perfect Score, and David R. Ellis Cellular.
While between film projects Hinkle sharpened his skills on commercials for
American Express, Budweiser, Coke, Pepsi, Lexus, Lincoln, GMC and many
others. He has also done numerous music videos over the years for various
groups like Dave Matthews, Bon Jovi, Metallica, Megadeth, Janet Jackson,
Michael Jackson, and Seal, to name a few.
Costume designer KAREN MATTHEWS career has spanned 24 years and in all
areas of performance and fashion. After graduating with an honors MFA degree

in Costume Design from New York University she continued to work in New York
where she designed over 30 stage productions in addition to a successful career
as a fashion stylist for print ads and TV commercials, working with some the
worlds top models and photographers.
Snakes on a Plane marks her 37th production in film and television. Among her
credits are Timecop, The Omen, Captains Courageous, Stealing Sinatra, and
White Noise. Matthews won a Leo Award for Outstanding Costume Design for
her work on the Hallmark mini-series Voyage of the Unicorn and has been
nominated twice for Gemini Awards, once for an Ace Award, and three times for
Jessie Awards for her work in theatre.
Another industry veteran, Editor HOWARD SMITH has pieced together such
features as Sonny for Director Nicholas Cage; Glengarry Glen Ross, The
Corruptor, After Dark, My Sweet, and At Close Range, all for Director James
Foley; Kathryn Bigelows Strange Days, Point Break, and Near Dark; and The
Saint of Fort Washington, Rivers Edge, and Tex for Director Tim Hunter.
Additionally, he edited such films as Blade Trinity, The Crow: Salvation, and was
second editor on The Abyss for Director James Cameron.
Smith was Associate Producer and Editor on the ABC-TV specials, Oscars Best
Actors and Oscars Best Movies. He worked on six Academy Awards, producing
and editing all the film segments for the broadcasts.
Visual Effects Producer/Supervisor and former Visual Effects Editor ERIK
HENRY made the magic for such films as James Camerons The Abyss, Paul
Verhoevens Total Recall, Tim Burtons Batman Returns, Alexander Paynes
About Schmidt, as well as Alien: Resurrection, Dracula 2000, Gothika, Battlefield
Earth, and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: The Movie.
A snake handler for over 37 years, JULES SYLVESTER has over 300 film and
television credits including Hook, Jurassic Park and The Lost World: Jurassic
Park, The X-Files, From Dusk Till Dawn, Lemony Snickets A Series of
Unfortunate Events, Theres Something About Mary, Psycho, and Dr. Dolittle 2.

Behind the Scenes: HOW TO WRANGLE A SNAKE

Samuel L. Jackson may be the man that has his hands full with hundreds of
snakes on screen, but behind the scenes that task fell to two slightly more
experienced people world renowned snake wranglers Jules Sylvester and Brad
McDonald.
When I first met with Craig [Berenson] and Dave Ellis, the director, they wanted
the taipans and vipers and some really lethal puff adders, says Sylvester. Stuff
that would knock you dead. I said Yeah, we could do that, but working with an
airplane full of people and a camera crew right there might not be such a good
idea. These are really hairy animals. They can be used for second unit but
otherwise its just too dangerous.
Instead, Sylvester suggested taking advantage of a natural phenomenon - as
part of their survival strategy many benign snakes mimic the deadly ones and
only a trained eye can tell the difference. The safest way to shoot a movie like
this is to use a bunch of look-a-likes, explains Sylvester. For example, this milk
snake is relatively harmless but unless youre an extensive herpetologist it looks
like a very deadly Brazilian coral snake. The colors are identical, the size is
identical, except the coral snake is absolutely lethal. A lot of times a snakes only
defense is that it has the color patterns or behavior patterns of something that
could inflict a lot of damage. Another example is the tiger rat snake. It doesnt
have rattles on its tail but itll shake its tail in leaf litter. You hear a rattle and you
think, oh crap, its a rattlesnake, so you stay away from it. Thats pretty much the
illusion.
Look at this yellow rat snake. Its about a six-foot snake and it could easily pass
as a coastal Taipan. Ive got some red-tailed green rat snakes so theres your
green mamba. Weve got a water snake that matches a cottonmouth. And weve
got Russian rat snakes; they look very dangerous but they are actually a very
gentle snake.
Weve got a very large speckled king snake. Weve got some black racers from
Florida and a bull snake from British Columbia in California theyre called a
gopher snake. They hiss tremendously. Their head flattens out and gives a
tremendous strike, and of course theyve got very sharp teeth.
Then we have another 250 garter snakes for background bodies when we dont
have people running around. So no, there arent any snakes on set that are
venomous except for the mangroves, and we wont be using those around the
actors. Even then, a mangrove wont kill you. Just make you swell and give you a
terrible headache.

Added to the look-a-likes were the pythons including Kitty, the Burmese python
featured in a key scene in the film. But, as Sylvester points out, these are not
venomous, theyre constrictors.
For the incredibly experienced Sylvester (he has over 300 movies to his credit, in
addition to television) the ultimate sin is getting an actor bitten. It means I didnt
read it right, says Sylvester. I didnt teach the actor right. And they have to trust
me.
The actors are not the only ones that Sylvester fears for. My biggest fear,
actually, is that with all these passengers on board in a very limited space and
everybody pretending to be panicking is that theyll step on my snakes.
With all the potential minefields, perhaps it can be said that the most amazing
performance came from the snake wranglers. Jules and his team worked
wonderfully together, raves producer Craig Berenson. They take what they do
extremely seriously and when we used live snakes they were right there so that if
anybody was having an issue they could deal with it. And I have to say, Jules
was so funny. He said, I have to implore you all to please make sure the set is
plugged, no openings. Because at the end of the day, I dont want to have to
account for 100 snakes and only have 97.
The Phenomenon: OUR FAVORITE SNAKES FAN SITES
The Snakes on a Plane phenomenon has been fueled by an explosion of online
fan websites and fan-created content beginning months before the films
release and continuing to grow every day. The result? A simple Google search on
the film returns more than 3.8 million hits. Thats a whole lot of Snakes sites.
Heres a look at some of our favorites:
www.snakesonablog.com - Started as a blog to document one fans quest to
attend the Hollywood premiere of Snakes on a Plane, it has evolved into a
chronicle of all things Snakes-related.
www.tagworld.com/snakesonaplane - Social networking site Tagworld features
links to hundreds of fan-created songs that competed to be a part of the Snakes
on a Plane soundtrack.
http://www.mcsweeneys.net/2006/4/10keinathnuske.html - McSweeneys offers
up a clever list of possible surprise endings to Snakes on a Plane.
http://beautifulcandy.blogspot.com/2006/05/snakes-on-mania.html - A 14-page
dissection of the Snakes on a Plane phenomenon that compares it to everything
from the Beatles coming to America to the original release of Star Wars, and

declares that Snakes on a Plane is redefining a space in the pop culture history
of fan worship. And you thought it was just a fad
http://www.myspace.com/snakesonaplanemp3 - One creative fan has compiled a
series of Snakes on a Plane prank phone calls and posted them for downloading
here.