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Announced nearly three years ago as a possible series, "Witchblade" finally emerges as a stand-alone TV movie, without previously announced producer Oliver Stone but with some of the slickest special effects this side of a John Woo movie. 
"Witchblade" is based on the Top Cow comic of the same name, about an immortal, sentient, shape-shifting weapon that attaches itself to members of a line of strong willed women. 

The latest recipient is NYPD homicide detective Sara Pezzini, played by green-eyed, smoky-voiced Yancy Butler, a New York native who recently appeared on NBC's "Third Watch" and was a member of the ensemble cast of CBS' short-lived police drama "Brooklyn South." This isn't her first foray into science fiction either, as she starred in the 1992 Dick Wolf drama "Mann and Machine," playing an android cop. 

Is Butler working through some sort of law-enforcement karma here? "You know what, I might be. It's the strangest thing. I have no idea why." 

Director Ralph Hemecker feels that fans of the comic will be pleased. "We use the comic book to get the essential DNA of the story," he says. "We've maintained a lot of the elements of the original eight issues of the comic book. Our film is much more about the powers that the gauntlet gives to Sara Pezzini, and less about the Witchblade itself. So in that respect, we're minimizing the gauntlet and making it more of a character driven piece." 

While investigating the death of her best friend, Sara encounters the Witchblade in a museum exhibit while chasing a suspect. The gauntlet attaches itself to her arm, giving her great strength and the ability to deflect bullets. It also can morph into a sword, but spends most of its time as an innocuous-looking bracelet. 

Ignorant of the weapon and its history, Sara struggles with accepting its powers and coping with even more loss. William Yun Lee co-stars as Sara's partner; and David Chokachi ("Baywatch") plays Jake McCartey, a surfer-turned-detective. Also starring are Anthony Cistaro, Conrad Dunn, Kenneth Welsh and Eric Etebari. 

While Hemecker and screenwriter J.D. Zeik may have gotten "the essential DNA" of "Witchblade" from the comic, they made no attempt to duplicate the barely there or skintight outfits worn by Sara, preferring to dress Butler mostly in denim and leather. After shooting in Toronto (doubling for New York) Butler was very grateful. 

"Thank god!" she says. "First of all, it would fall off me, and that's all I'm saying about that. That thing would slip right down. I'm fighting, and I'm going to be in that? As I said to everybody, we're not acting in a still picture. Visually, for a picture, it's quite lovely, quite aesthetic. But it's not particularly productive to be trying to run down the streets of New York in that!" 

Sara does get around New York on a motorcycle. Interestingly enough, UPN has run a series of three movies called "Chameleon," starring Bobbie Phillips as a genetically engineered fighter who gets around on a motorcycle (wearing skintight outfits); and this fall, Fox's "Dark Angel," from director James Cameron, stars Jessica Alba as a genetically engineered fighter who gets around on a motorcycle (also wearing skintight outfits). 

"What's the deal with the wheels?" says Butler. "You know what's so funny, literally, I'm right now sitting at the house of the producer of "Dark Angel,' she's my best friend. It's so funny, because our director was saying it might be our rival. I haven't seen "Dark Angel,' but my friend thinks it's so far from what we've done that I don't think it's competition at all." 

Does she hold out hope that "Witchblade" will eventually become a series? "Oh, of course, of course. The possibilities are endless. We definitely left that open. To be quite honest, I didn't read the comic book beforehand, and when I saw it, I went, "Oh, good god, what did I get myself into?' 

"But Ralph and the powers that be literally steered it in a direction that I thought was much more camera- and user-friendly. It's that much more potent. It had the potential to be the biggest piece of cheese in the world, and talk about taking a leap of faith. 

"Every day, I thank the director and my lucky stars that it's only not cheese, it's something that's really rad, and I'm proud of it." 

Does Butler enjoying playing such strong women? "People always say, it's the actress's fault (if the characters aren't strong). But write for them! It's not always the actress's fault, it's the dialogue, and damn, it's time for that pendulum to swing. It's way overdue. I'm just happy that people respond to "Witchblade' as well as they do. That's all you can ask for. "

"Some will hate me, and that's part of the gig. "Why isn't she wearing the metal bra?' Well, because it's cold, dammit! If you can please a few people, and more importantly, yourself, then you're having a good day." 

Would Butler have any reservations about coming back if this goes to series? "Sara's a babe! I'm honored. Again, talk about getting your eyes checked. It's very relieving to know that these people who have invited her into their living room and read this thing, to have them think that I am that character. 

"No reservations as much as fear that we can keep that production value up. If we can, I'm in, I'm game. I need to take a little nap before that, but I'm definitely game. I would love it to go to series. I want to know what happens to her. I really do. She doesn't know which way is up, and I'd love to find out what that is. 

"The reason I loved that character, we all have dichotomy in us. We're not just one thing. She's extremely tough and vulnerable, and yes, a little cranky at times, certainly, before her Krispy Kremes and her morning cup of coffee. 

"But there's real pain here, and isn't that all about life? It's how you deal with it."