CANNES (France) - A GROUND-BREAKING deal between leading US and French film groups to produce an interactive thriller that will premiere exclusively on MySpace highlights a new dawn in the entertainment world.

The made-for-Internet series, Section 8, is to premiere on the giant social networking site in the US.

It will then be distributed worldwide for TV by leading entertainment group Endemol before being released in cinemas, the companies involved said at the MIPTV entertainment trade show here this week.

The Paramount Digital Entertainment deal with French film major Gaumont to produce Section 8 gives a glimpse of the future as the world's TV, mobile and web worlds start to converge in a multi-platform universe.

Some 12 episodes of between six and nine minutes are planned with the first one scheduled in September. In each the characters are killed off one by one, with viewers given clues on the killers to enable them to influence the online finale.

MySpace will provide behind-the-scenes content and enable viewers to interact with the cast.

The plan is to distribute the 12-episode series as a full-length feature once it reaches its final climax as well as to make it available on other platforms such as iTunes and as a DVD. -- AFP