USA to Launch Helen of Troy Miniseries

USA Network is turning to the face that launched a thousand ships for the
subject of an upcoming miniseries.

The general-entertainment network announced Wednesday that it will begin
production this summer on a four-hour miniseries, Helen of Troy (working
title), based on the woman whose beauty sparked ancient history's Trojan
War.

USA is scouting locations abroad for the project, which is expected to
premiere late in the first quarter of 2003, according to a network
spokeswoman.

The project will be produced by Fuel Entertainment. Adam Shapiro, USA's
former senior vice president of long-form programming, will serve as executive
producer.

USA has scored in the past with miniseries. Its presentation of Moby
Dick
averaged an 8.1 household rating during its premieres March 15 and 16,
1998, delivering the largest audience of any entertainment programming in cable
history to that point.

The network's Attila miniseries averaged a 5.8 household rating for
its Jan. 30 and 31, 2001, premieres.