Author: Liz Isenberg

EPIX® ANNOUNCES TWO-PART MUSIC DOCUSERIES ‘Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records’

Docuseries from The Kennedy/Marshall Company and Polygram Entertainment

Set for December 5th Premiere

New York, NY – September 29, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® announced today music docuseries Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records,which takes an in-depth look at the record label of the same name that helped foster the careers of some of the most well-known artists in the music industry.  Started by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss out of a garage in 1962, they built A&M Records into one of the most successful independent record labels in history. Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records will premiere December 5 at 10pm (concluding December 12 at 10pm).

Produced by Frank Marshall and directed by Ryan Suffern, this two-part documentary series takes an in-depth look at the company’s distinct approach of focusing on their artists, discovering unique talent and evolving with the ever-changing music industry.  With a wealth of rare archival footage and audio-only interviews, Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records will be an immersive experience told by the visionaries who lived it.  Featuring the music of The Police, The Carpenters, Joe Cocker, Carole King, and The Go-Go’s among others, and interviews with Peter Frampton, Quincy Jones, Sheryl Crow, Yusuf/Cat Stevens, and more.

Said Michael Wright, President, EPIX, “With firsthand artist accounts, and rarely-seen footage from the archives, Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records is a definitive history of an iconic institution. We’re thrilled to be teaming up with Kennedy/Marshall and Polygram to reveal the stories behind one of the most legendary music labels of all time.”

Said producer Frank Marshall, “In the same way we approached our Laurel Canyon docuseries for EPIX, Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records will be an immersive experience that celebrates the time and place, and above all, the amazing artists and music that Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss cared for and developed at A&M Records.”

Said David Blackman, Head of Film and TV Production and Development, UMG, “The breath of artists that A&M introduced to the world is wide and eclectic – reflective of a label founded by an artist and music lover – and has had a lasting impact on music today. Polygram looks forward to collaborating with Kennedy/Marshall and EPIX to tell A&M’s incredible story.”

Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records is a Kennedy/Marshall Company production in association with Polygram Entertainment, Interscope Films and Universal Music Publishing Group.  Executive producers for Polygram Entertainment are David Blackman, Bruce Resnikoff and Steve Berman. ICM Partners represents Kennedy/Marshall Company in connection with this project.

 

Photo credit:

Michael Putland Archives

Jerry Moss (L), Herb Alpert (R)

Download photo here: https://mgm.box.com/s/rbgjxmq59z2aq01fnj6l1fvu295ezd07

 

ABOUT THE KENNEDY/MARSHALL COMPANY

Established in 1991 by veteran producers Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, The Kennedy/Marshall Company is behind award-winning films like The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Lincoln, and Sully as well as blockbuster franchises like Jurassic World and Jason Bourne. In 2012, the Documentary Division was created to tell non-fiction stories with the same passion and expertise. Past projects include Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (HBO), Finding Oscar (Amazon), The China Hustle (Magnolia), Satan & Adam (Netflix), The Gift: The Journey of Johnny Cash (YouTube), the Emmy-nominated docuseries Laurel Canyon: A Place in Time (EPIX), and most recently The Bee Gees: How Can You Mend A Broken Heart (HBO).

 

ABOUT POLYGRAM ENTERTAINMENT

Polygram Entertainment produces film and television programs that provide deeper narratives and perspectives on the recording artists, music and cultural events that came to define generations. A partner of Universal Music Group, the world leader in music-based entertainment, Polygram develops, produces and finances documentary features and original, scripted projects for music fans of all ages and tastes around the world. Recent projects include The Bee Gees:  How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? from director Frank Marshall, 2020 Critics Choice Documentary Award winners The Go-Go’s from Alison Ellwood and Emmy Award-nominated Beastie Boys Story from director Spike Jonze, as well as Pavarotti, directed by Ron Howard, Hitsville: The Making of Motown and the Emmy Award-winning The Apollo, from director Roger Ross Williams. Polygram Entertainment also produces NBC’s Emmy award-winning series “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist.” Upcoming projects include The Velvet Underground feature documentary from Todd Haynes, and a KISS biopic from director Joachim Rønning.

 

ABOUT EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including Godfather of Harlem, starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama Chapelwaite, based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid;Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen; Belgravia, from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth, executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

Contact:

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com

 

EPIX® TO PREMIERE ‘NFL ICONS’ DOCUSERIES 

Eight-Episode Series from NFL Films and Featuring Rich Eisen

Debuts October 2 at 10 PM 

View Trailer Here

Download Art Here 

Episode 101 Now Available on Screeners.com

New York, NY – September 23, 2021 – Premium network EPIX today announced the premiere of NFL Icons, a new eight-episode docuseries from NFL Films. Debuting on October 2 at 10pm and airing weekly, the series celebrates the biggest names in the history of pro football. Each one-hour episode will focus on a single subject, whose career comes to life through a deep dive into the NFL Films archive.

Decades of interviews, highlights, mic’d up sound and never before seen off-the-field moments are placed into context by the Icon’s own words and narrator Rich Eisen. This is a football storytelling series 60 years in the making, providing a collection of record-breaking accomplishments, emotional journeys and singular legacies. Season 1 includes Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, Brett Favre, Marcus Allen, Jerome Bettis, Steve Sabol and Vince Lombardi – the names you know well, documented and dramatized in a fashion you can’t find elsewhere.

Episode 101 – “NFL Icons: Brett Favre”

You have to be tough, or crazy, to start more than 300 consecutive games in the NFL – at the quarterback position, no less.  But with the Packers, Jets, Vikings and beyond, making reality out of what only sounds possible in myth was Brett Favre’s calling card.  He was part country boy, part gunslinger and always part kid, a show stopper for more than two decades including memorable stints in Green Bay, New York and Minnesota.

 

About NFL Films

Winner of 133 Sports Emmy® Awards, NFL Films remains a gold standard in sports television, providing unprecedented access to and legendary storytelling about the sport of professional football. NFL Films is a part of NFL Media, the owned and operated media division of the National Football League, which is comprised of NFL Network, NFL Films, the NFL App, NFL.com and NFL RedZone.

About Rich Eisen

Emmy-nominated host, Rich Eisen is the host of The Rich Eisen Show, airing weekdays on Peacock TV from noon-3PM ET and simulcast on SiriusXM (ch. 211) and Westwood One.  This summer, Eisen hosted Tokyo Gold for Peacock TV, recapping the biggest stories and highlights from the Olympics. In addition hosting Westwood One’s weekly Monday Night Football pregame and halftime show, he continues to be the signature host of the NFL Network, where he was hired as network’s first on-air talent in the summer of 2003. Prior to joining NFL Network, Eisen spent 8years at ESPN as one of the network’s most visible personalities, where he hosted SportsCenter alongside Stuart Scott, as well as a variety of other high-profile assignments.

About EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including Godfather of Harlem, starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred and drama Chapelwaite, based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; as well as upcoming premieres of western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen; Belgravia, from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth, executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

Contacts:

For EPIX:

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com

 

For NFL Films:

Andrew Howard

Andrew.Howard@NFL.com

 

EPIX’S DRAMEDY ‘BRIDGE AND TUNNEL’ BEGINS PRODUCTION ON SEASON TWO

Six-Episode Series Written, Directed and Produced by Edward Burns

And Producing Partner Aaron Lubin

Returns in 2022

New York, NY – September 20, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® announced today that the upcoming second season of Bridge and Tunnel has started production in New York, with an eye towards a 2022 premiere. Written, directed and produced by Edward Burns (Saving Private Ryan, Public Morals) – who also stars – this six-episode, half-hour dramedy series set in the early 1980’s revolves around a group of recent college grads setting out to pursue their dreams in Manhattan while still clinging to the familiarity of their working-class Long Island home town.

The series features a stellar ensemble cast including Sam Vartholomeos (Star Trek: Discovery), Caitlin Stasey (Reign, Please Like Me), Gigi Zumbado (9-1-1, Criminal Minds, Scream), JanLuis Castellanos (13 Reasons Why, Marvel’s Runways), Brian Muller (The Deuce, Madame Secretary, The Good Wife) and Isabella Farrell (The Good Fight).

In addition to Burns, the series is also executive produced by Aaron Lubin (Something Borrowed, Public Morals) and Lori Keith Douglas (The Village, Friends from College).  Bridge and Tunnel is produced by EPIX Studios and is internationally distributed by MGM.

Edward Burns and Aaron Lubin have been producing partners at Marlboro Road Gang Productions for the past 20 years and recently completed Burns’ 13th feature, Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies, which premiered to outstanding reviews at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Lubin and Burns also executive produced and Burns starred in the finale episode of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories for Amblin Partners, Universal Television and Apple Television, which premiered in March 2020 on Apple’s new platform. Spielberg, Amblin and Lubin also executive produced Burns’ police drama Public Morals in which Burns wrote, directed, produced and starred in every episode for TNT.

 

About EPIX

EPIX®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred and drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; as well as upcoming premieres of western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

‘CONDOR’ SEASON TWO PREMIERES NOVEMBER 7 ON EPIX

U.S. Debut of Season Two of the Action-Thriller

From MGM Television and Skydance Television

New York, NY – August 25, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® today announced that spy-thriller series  Condor, from MGM Television and Skydance Television, will have its U.S. premiere with two back-to-back episodes on November 7 at 9pm. (Subsequent episodes will air Sundays at 9, with a two-episode finale on December 26).  Based on the novel  Six Days of the Condor  by James Grady and screenplay “Three Days of the Condor” by Lorenzo Semple Jr. and David Rayfiel,  Condorfollows CIA analyst Joe Turner (Max Irons) who stumbles onto a plan that threatens the lives of millions.

Season two of Condor finds Joe Turner still wandering around Europe, careful not to stay in any one place long enough to put down roots or be a danger to anyone he meets. But while Joe is busy avoiding his past, it catches up with him in the form of a mysterious Russian intelligence officer who claims to be an asset working for Joe’s Uncle Bob. The officer’s life is in danger and he’s willing to trade the identity of a Russian mole in the CIA for safe passage. Joe is reluctant to help –he wants nothing to do with the CIA –but events back home compel Joe to take action and force him to face the life he thought he’d left behind.

In addition to Irons,  Condor  season two also stars Constance Zimmer, Alexei Bondar, Isidora Goreshter, Eric Johnson, Toby Leonard Moore, Jonathan Kells Phillips and Rose Rollins, with Kristen Hager and Bob Balaban returning from season one.

The series is executive produced by Jason Smilovic, Todd Katzberg, Andrew McCarthy. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost for Skydance Television, Marcy Ross, Shane Elrod and Brian Walsh, John Weber and Frank Siracusa. Smilovic and Katzberg serve as showrunners. The series is produced by MGM Television & Skydance Television with MGM being the lead studio, in association with Paramount Television. Condor is internationally distributed by MGM.

 

About Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)  

Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco, and digital distributors.  In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms, interactive ventures, and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit  www.mgm.com.

 

About Skydance Television 

Skydance is the diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create high-quality, event-level entertainment for global audiences. Skydance Television, the rapidly growing and critically acclaimed television division launched in 2013, is now a leading supplier of premium scripted content across a range of platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+. Its current slate includes the Emmy-nominated series Grace and Frankie, which will become Netflix’s longest running series following the release of its final season as well as Foundation, Reacher, Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, Condor, The Big Door Prize and a yet to be titled spy series starring Arnold Schwarzenegger in his first ever scripted television series.

 

About EPIX

EPIX®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred and drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; as well as upcoming premieres of western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

EPIX DOCUSERIES ‘FIASCO’ TO PREMIERE SEPTEMBER 19 AT 10 PM; TRAILER AND POSTER ART REVEALED

Leon Neyfakh Hosts Six-Episode Docuseries from the Creators of Slow Burn 

Based on His Podcast of the Same Name 

View Trailer Here

Download Poster Art Here 

All Episodes Available on screeners.com

New York, NY – August 11, 2020 – Premium network EPIX® will debut Fiasco, a documentary series about politics, power, and uncertainty, on September 19 at 10pm. Fiasco, from Prologue Projects and Left/Right, adapts host and executive producer Leon Neyfakh’s podcast of the same name. The six-episode docuseries marks the second partnership for Neyfakh, Left/Right and EPIX, following the acclaimed Slow Burn – an incisive look at the Watergate crisis – last year.

In Fiasco, Neyfakh transports listeners into the day-to-day reality of our country’s most pivotal historical events, bringing to life the forgotten twists and turns of the past, while shedding light on the present. Season One of  Fiasco  will tell the story of the Iran-Contra affair, the Cold War-era debacle — involving a secret war in Nicaragua and an arms-for-hostages deal with Iran — that almost took down the presidency of Ronald Reagan.

Fiasco is produced by  Neyfakh’s  Prologue Projects and Left/Right.   The podcast is available exclusively on Luminary. Neyfakh, Andrew Parsons, and Steven Fisher serve as executive producers, along with Ken Druckerman, Banks Tarver, and John Marks for Left/Right, a Red Arrow Studios company.

Leon Neyfakh is the host of Fiasco and co-creator of Slow Burn, as well as the founder of Prologue Projects, an independent podcast studio. Neyfakh started his reporting career at the  New York Observer  before joining  The Boston Globe. At Slate, he wrote about the criminal justice system before co-creating Slow Burn with Andrew Parsons.

Andrew Parsons is an award-winning audio producer and the executive producer of Prologue Projects. His work has been featured on Marketplace, Studio 360, and Snap Judgment, among other outlets. He’s been the senior producer at the history podcast BackStory and co-created and produced the first two seasons of the Slate podcast Slow Burn. He’s lectured and taught at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism and serves on the Google/PRX podcast creator advisory committee.

Steven Fisher is a partner in Underground, a management and production company. In addition to managing Leon Neyfakh and Prologue Projects, Fisher most recently Executive Produced the Comedy Central special DESI LYDIC: A BROAD (nominated for a WGA Award), and the short form series OH JEROME, NO for FX (lead actor Mamoudou Athie was nominated for an Emmy). In addition, Underground’s credits include Snowfall on FX, HEATHERS for Paramount Network, the upcoming GAME CHANGER for Netflix, DRAGON’S LAIR for Netflix starring Ryan Reynolds, the sports docuseries DREAM TEAM at BET, and the independent film SMALL ENGINE REPAIR.

 

ABOUT PROLOGUE PROJECTS

Prologue Projects is an independent production company specializing in audio journalism. Prologue was founded in 2019 by the co-creators of Slow Burn. Since that time, the studio has built a slate of original podcasts, including Fiasco; The Trevor Noah Podcast; The Edge, a narrative series about the Houston Astros cheating scandal hosted by Ben Reiter; 5-4, a weekly talk show about the Supreme Court; and Whirlwind, a series about the Cold War hosted by Tim Weiner.

 

ABOUT LEFT/RIGHT

LEFT/RIGHT  has produced hundreds of hours of television in an extraordinarily eclectic mix of genres ranging from hard-hitting documentaries to side-splitting comedies, covering topics from sex to secret societies to stand-up comedy to science fiction to school segregation.  Past and present productions include our groundbreaking political series  THE CIRCUS  (Showtime), multiple episodes of the acclaimed investigative series  FRONTLINE  (PBS), our award-winning TV adaptation of the popular public radio show  THIS AMERICAN LIFE  (Showtime), and the  New York Times documentary series  THE NEW YORK TIMES PRESENTS  (FX and Hulu).  Our shows have been nominated for numerous Emmy® Awards and have won multiple awards, including a Peabody® and the Emmy® for Best Nonfiction Series.  Left/Right is a  Red Arrow Studios  company.

 

ABOUT EPIX® 

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story  Jerusalem’s Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia;  and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon;  docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved  featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

CONTACT: 

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com

 

EPIX® RENEWS DRAMEDY ‘BRIDGE AND TUNNEL’ FOR SEASON TWO

Six-Episode Series Written, Directed and Produced by Edward Burns

And Producing Partner Aaron Lubin

Returns in 2022

New York, NY – July 14, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® announced today that Bridge and Tunnel has been renewed for a second season. Written, directed and produced by Edward Burns (Saving Private Ryan, Public Morals), – who also stars – this six-episode, half-hour dramedy series set in the early 1980’s revolves around a group of recent college grads setting out to pursue their dreams in Manhattan while still clinging to the familiarity of their working-class Long Island home town. Production will commence in Fall 2021 in New York, with an eye towards a 2022 premiere.

The series features a stellar ensemble cast including Sam Vartholomeos (Star Trek: Discovery), Caitlin Stasey (Reign, Please Like Me), Gigi Zumbado (9-1-1, Criminal Minds, Scream), JanLuis Castellanos (13 Reasons Why, Marvel’s Runways), Brian Muller (The Deuce, Madame Secretary, The Good Wife) andIsabella Farrell (The Good Fight).

In addition to Burns, the series is also executive produced by Aaron Lubin (Something Borrowed, Public Morals) and Lori Keith Douglas (The Village, Friends from College).  Bridge and Tunnel is produced by EPIX Studios and is internationally distributed by MGM.

Edward Burns and Aaron Lubin have been producing partners at Marlboro Road Gang Productions for the past 20 years and recently completed Burns’ 13th feature, Beneath the Blue Suburban Skies, which premiered to outstanding reviews at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. Lubin and Burns also executive produced and Burns starred in the finale episode of Steven Spielberg’s Amazing Stories for Amblin Partners, Universal Television and Apple Television, which premiered in March 2020 on Apple’s new platform. Spielberg, Amblin and Lubin also executive produced Burns’ police drama Public Morals in which Burns wrote, directed, produced and starred in every episode for TNT.

 

About EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including Godfather of Harlem, starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama Chapelwaite, based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen; Belgravia, from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth, executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

SEASON THREE OF ‘WAR OF THE WORLDS’ TO PREMIERE ON EPIX® IN 2022

New York, NY – July 6, 2021 – Premium network EPIX announced today that season three of the blockbuster series War of the Worlds has begun production and will premiere on the channel next year.  Written and created by BAFTA Award-winner Howard Overman (Misfits, Crazyhead, Merlin) and based on H.G. Wells’ classic novel of the same name, the third season sees the return of Golden Globe winner and EMMY and Tony award nominated actor Gabriel Byrne (In Treatment).

Set-in present-day France and the UK, War of the Worlds season three picks up as the war between the survivors and aliens reaches a new turning point and a terrifying phenomenon grips countless people across the globe. With stakes at an all-time high, one survivor sets out to investigate, forming a tentative partnership with another unlikely hero along the way. The pair will need to use every resource they have available to face an opposition more dangerous than ever in their fight, once again, for the survival of all humanity.

Joining the ensemble cast are BAFTA-Award winner Molly Windsor (Three Girls), Ernest Kingsley Junior, Madeleine Worral and Oliver Hembrough.

Distributed internationally by STUDIOCANAL, War of the Worlds is executive produced by Julian Murphy and Johnny Capps for Urban Myth Films in partnership with CANAL+ and The Walt Disney Company.  The third season is directed by Indra Siera and Jonas Alexander Arnby.

 

About STUDIOCANAL 

STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series, operating directly in all three major European markets – France, the United Kingdom and Germany – as well as in Australia and New Zealand.

STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting nearly, 6,000 titles from 60 countries. Spanning 100 years of film history, this vast and unique catalogue includes among others the iconic Terminator 2, Rambo, Breathless, Mulholland Drive, The Pianist, The Graduate, The Third Man, and Belle de jour.

STUDIOCANAL has fully financed box office hits Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Paddington 1 and 2, Non-Stop and Shaun the Sheep Movie. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, Augustine Frizzell’s The Last Letter from your Lover adapted from Jojo Moyes’ best-selling novel, Navot Papushado’s female action thriller Gunpowder Milkshake and Gil Kenan’s live action A Boy called Christmas.

STUDIOCANAL is actively producing and developing a slate of premium international TV series in-house, as well as through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies, which includes Germany’s TANDEM Productions (Shadowplay), the UK’s RED Production Company (Years and Years, It’s a Sin, Finding Alice), URBAN MYTH FILMS (War of the Worlds) and Spain’s BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Instinto). The company is also an associate of Danish-based SAM Productions founded by Søren Sveistrup, Adam Price, and Meta Louise Foldager (Ride Upon the Storm) and Benedict Cumberbatch’s SUNNYMARCH TV (Patrick Melrose).  

STUDIOCANAL produces more than 200 hours of TV series each year distributing productions and CANAL+ Creation Originale worldwide with 1,000 hours of current and library content in distribution.

 

About EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia;  and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon;  docuseries  Fall River,  from Blumhouse Television; season two of War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved  featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

Contact:

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com

 

EPIX® SETS ‘CHAPELWAITE’ PREMIERE FOR AUGUST 22, 2021 at 10PM ET/PT

Academy Award® Winner Adrien Brody Stars and Executive Produces 

Also Starring Emily Hampshire (Schitt’s Creek)

 

Watch Teaser Trailer HERE

Photos HERE

(Credit: Chris Reardon/EPIX)

 

Episodes 1- 8 are now available via Screeners.com

or upon request by emailing Epix@id-pr.com

 

*Please note, reviews are under embargo until August 9th

 

New York, NY – June 29, 2021 – Premium network EPIX announced today that Chapelwaite, based on the short story  Jerusalem’s Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award® winner Adrien Brody and Emily Hampshire, will premiere on Sunday, August 22 at 10pm ET/PT. Set in the 1850s, the series follows Captain Charles Boone (Brody), who relocates his family of three children to his ancestral home in the small, seemingly sleepy town of Preacher’s Corners, Maine after his wife dies at sea. However, Charles will soon have to confront the secrets of his family’s sordid history, and fight to end the darkness that has plagued the Boones for generations.

Hampshire plays Rebecca Morgan, an ambitious young woman who left Preacher’s Corners to attend Mount Holyoke College, and has returned home with an advance to write a story for the new and prestigious Atlantic Magazine.  Her writer’s block lifts when Boone arrives in town with his children, and despite her mother’s protests, Rebecca applies to be governess of the infamous Chapelwaite manor and the Boone family in order to write about them. In doing so, Rebecca will not only craft the next great gothic novel, she’ll unravel a mystery that has plagued her own family for years.

In addition to Brody, the series is executive produced by Donald De Line (Ready Player One, Wayward Pines), Jason Filardi, Peter Filardi and Burr Steers. Chapelwaite is produced by EPIX Studios.

 

About EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia;  and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon;  docuseries  Fall River,  from Blumhouse Television; season two of War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved  featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

EPIX® LANDS IMAGINE DOCUMENTARIES’ AND R.J. CUTLER’S THIS MACHINE’S TRUE CRIME DOCUSERIES ‘MURF THE SURF’ BASED ON INFAMOUS JEWEL THIEF JACK ROLAND MURPHY

4-Part Docuseries Written and Directed by Two-Time Emmy Award-Winner R.J. Cutler (Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, BELUSHI, The War Room)

New York, NY – June 9, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® has announced the greenlight of Murf the Surf, a new true crime four-part docuseries from Imagine Documentaries and R.J. Cutler’s This Machine (an Industrial Media Company) that pulls back the curtain on America’s most infamous jewel thief, Jack Roland Murphy. The docuseries is directed by Emmy Award-winner R.J. Cutler and produced by Cutler and his long time producing partner Trevor Smith (Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, BELUSHI) along with Brian Grazer (Inside Man, American Gangster), Ron Howard(Rebuilding Paradise, Apollo 13), Justin Wilkes (Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel, MARS), and Sara Bernstein (Rebuilding Paradise, Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel) for Imagine and Elise Pearlstein (American Factory, Food Inc.) for This Machine.

“Murf the Surf is a great addition to the quality docuseries lineup that EPIX viewers have come to expect,” said Michael Wright, President, EPIX. “R.J. Cutler and the talented team at Imagine are crafting an unexpected, exciting, entertaining series, bringing Murf’s truly unique story to life.”

“Murf’s entire life was a blurring of truth and fiction and the series’ form will reflect the subject matter,” said Cutler. “I am so grateful to our wonderful partners at Epix and Imagine who have embraced this vision from the beginning.”

“Imagine is thrilled to go on this roller coaster ride through the many lives of the infamous Jack Roland Murphy with our partners at EPIX and the visionary R.J. Cutler,” said Bernstein and Wilkes.

In October 2019, the NY Times published an article celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Museum of Natural History. One of the most momentous events to take place on site was an epic jewel heist, the biggest in American history, mastered by a band of suave “surfer dudes” from Miami in 1964. The key to the operation was Jack Roland Murphy, otherwise known as Murf the Surf, whose name was propelled into pop culture after the heist – creating a notoriety that would stretch far beyond the caper. What followed Murf’s meteoric rise is a spiraling tale of unspeakable crime, murder, deception and mayhem which, to this day, remains shrouded in mystery.

This four-part documentary series will explore the tumultuous life of the man behind the legendary nickname. Featuring exclusive access to Jack Roland Murphy himself prior to his death in 2020, the series will address the blurred line between fact and fiction, faith and delusion, sanity and madness – raising the timely question of who and how we believe.

Cutler is a two-time Emmy Award®-winning director and producer and  is renowned for his critically and commercially successful documentary films including  Billie Eilish: The World’s A Little Blurry, BELUSHI, The War Room, A Perfect Candidate, The September Issue, The World According to Dick Cheney, Thin and Listen to Me Marlon. He has also been a pioneer in the area of non-fiction television, having created such landmark programs as “Dear…,”  “American High,” “Freshman Diaries,” “30 Days” and many others. Cutler’s scripted work includes conceiving and directing “Nashville,” directing the feature film If I Stay starring Chloe Grace Moretz, and creating, writing, directing and producing the award-winning podcast The Oval Office Tapes.

Cutler is currently directing and producing a feature documentary about the life and times of Martha Stewart for Netflix.

Cutler’s first film, The War Room, was nominated for an Academy Award®, and he is the recipient of two Emmys®, two Peabody Awards, a GLAAD Award, two Cinema Eye Awards, and two Television Academy Honor Awards. In 2009, the Museum of Television and Radio held a four-day retrospective of Cutler’s work.

Imagine Documentaries has a prolific slate of upcoming releases that includes Who Are You Charlie Brown?, a celebration of the life and work of on Charles Schulz (AppleTV+); the 2021 Tribeca Festival premiere of Paper & Glue, directed by legendary French artist JR; Gossip, a limited series chronicling Cindy  Adams’ four-decade career at the New York Post as the “reigning queen of gossip” (Showtime); Julia, a documentary on legendary chef Julia Child, directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West (Sony Pictures Classic); Black and Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong (AppleTV); and Ron Howard’s next documentary feature film on chef Jose Andres and the World Central Kitchen organization (National Geographic Films). Recently released projects include the critically-acclaimed The Day Sports Stood Still (HBO); On Pointe (Disney+), We Are The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix); Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (Netflix); and Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine(Showtime).

Cutler is represented by Lighthouse Management + Media, CAA and Jeanne Newman at HJTH.

###

About EPIX

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem, starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker and Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama  Chapelwaite, based on the short story Jerusalem’s Lot by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved  featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

 

About Imagine Documentaries

Imagine Documentaries was formed in 2018 by Imagine Entertainment Chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard with a focus on developing and producing premium feature documentaries and non-scripted television. Based out of New York, Imagine Docs is run by Academy Award-nominated and Emmy, Peabody and Producer’s Guild Award-winning producers Justin Wilkes and Sara Bernstein. The division expands on Imagine’s rich history in the documentary space which includes the hit documentary series Mars and Breakthrough (National Geographic) as well as the Ron Howard-directed films Jay- Z’s Made in America, The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years (2017 Grammy winner for Best Music Film), Pavarotti, and the Sundance 2020 documentary feature Rebuilding Paradise (National Geographic Films).

Recent releases include Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and the Band (Magnolia Pictures), D Wade: Life Unexpected (ESPN Films), Dads (Apple+), The Day Sports Stood Still (HBO); On Pointe(Disney+), We Are The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix); Crime Scene: The Vanishing at the Cecil Hotel (Netflix); and Supervillain: The Making of Tekashi 6ix9ine (Showtime).

Upcoming projects include, Who Are You Charlie Brown?, a celebration of the life and work of Charles Schulz (AppleTV+); the 2021 Tribeca Festival premiere of Paper & Glue, directed by legendary French artist JR; Gossip, a limited series chronicling Cindy  Adams’ four-decade career at the New York Post as the “reigning queen of gossip” (Showtime); Julia, the definitive documentary on Julia Child, directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West (Sony Pictures Classic); The Supermodels, a docuseries featuring the iconic careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington (AppleTV+); the Martin Scorsese-directed documentary on New York’s 1970’s music scene and the New York Dolls; Black and Blues: The Colorful Ballad of Louis Armstrong (AppleTV+); Amy Poehler’s documentary feature directing debut, Lucy & Desi, on the personal and professional partnership between Lucille Ball and husband Desi Arnaz; Ron Howard’s next documentary feature film on chef Jose Andres and the World Central Kitchen organization (National Geographic Films); and a Rory Kennedy directed feature documentary investigating Boeing’s 737-Max airplane crashes (Netflix).

 

About This Machine

This Machine was founded in Los Angeles and New York in 2020.  Headed by Award Winning filmmaker and non-fiction pioneer R.J. Cutler, This Machine explores the times in which we live through non-fiction and scripted storytelling in all media.

This Machine’s team includes Oscar nominated, Emmy winning producer Elise Pearlstein, Cutler’s long-time producing partner Trevor Smith and 15-time Emmy-nominated Producer Jane Cha Cutler.

 

 

Press Contacts:

For EPIX

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com

 

For Imagine Entertainment

Sage Shah

s.shah@imagine-entertainment.com

310-858-2135

 

For This Machine/R.J. Cutler:

Jodie Oriol

Jodie.oriol@42west.net

EPIX® GREENLIGHTS DRAMA SERIES ‘BILLY THE KID’

Written and Executive Produced by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth, The Tudors, Vikings)

 

Series from EPIX Studios, MGM International Television Productions,

De Line Pictures and Amblin Television

To Premiere in 2022

 

Otto Bathurst (Peaky Blinders, Black Mirror, Halo)

Set to Direct the First Two Episodes

New York, NY – May 4, 2021 – Premium network EPIX® has announced the greenlight of Billy the Kid, written by Michael Hirst (Elizabeth, The Tudors, Vikings) and executive produced by Michael Hirst, Donald De Line (De Line Pictures), Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey (Amblin Television), and Otto Bathurst and Toby Leslie (One Big Picture). The eight-episode, one-hour season will commence production this June in Calgary, AB, with an eye towards a 2022 premiere on EPIX. Billy the Kid is a co-production between EPIX Studios and MGM International Television Productions, in association with Nordic Entertainment Groups streaming service Viaplay. Bathurst is set to direct the first two episodes.

The series is an epic romantic adventure based on the life of famous American outlaw Billy the Kid, also known as William H. Bonney — from his humble Irish roots, to his early days as a cowboy and gunslinger in the American frontier, to his pivotal role in the Lincoln County War and beyond.

“Michael Hirst has created a series that will take the audience on an entirely unexpected, thrilling ride, turning what they thought they knew about this iconic character on its head,” said Michael Wright, President, EPIX. “We can’t wait to see how this talented creative team unfolds this story and brings it to life for our viewers.”

“Billy the Kid reunites Michael Hirst and MGM, whose epic sagas with global appeal remain unmatched,” said Rola Bauer, MGM’s President of International Television Productions. “It is an immigrant story at its heart and an international perspective to this legendary American character. Exciting to collaborate once again with our partners at EPIX and NENT/viaplay.”

Said Hirst, “Billy the Kid has always been a hero of mine since I was – well, a kid! I grew up in the North of England but it made no difference! Billy was a special kind of outlaw. For a start he was so young – and for another thing, he wasn’t a psychopath who enjoyed killing, nor a criminal who robbed for material gain. He was an outlaw most of his life, but he never wanted to be. Born into a poor Irish family of immigrants, he always wanted to go straight, to be a “new American”. But he was never allowed to.

Billy’s story is much more than a fantastic drama about a charismatic cowboy – although it is that!  It’s also the story of the immigrant, and the story of the creation of the new America from the lawless, violent chaos of the mid-West and its many nations. So in the end it’s not just a story at all – it’s an American myth!”

Billy the Kid is executive produced by Michael Hirst; Donald De Line for De Line Pictures; Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey for Amblin Television; Otto Bathurst, and Toby Leslie for One Big Picture.

Billy the Kid marks the fourth greenlit project for the recently launched MGM International Television Productions label and the second co-production with EPIX following the contemporary sci-fi horror series From. The division also recently announced a pilot order from Amazon Studios for Shelter, a YA mystery/crime drama from author Harlan Coben, as well as The Reunion, an adaptation of French author Guillaume Musso’s novel La Jeune Fille et la Nuit, with Make It Happen Studios and France Televisions.

 

About MGM

Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content across all platforms. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content as well as the premium pay television network EPIX, which is available throughout the U.S. via cable, satellite, telco, and digital distributors.  In addition, MGM has investments in numerous other television channels, digital platforms, interactive ventures, and is producing premium short-form content for distribution. For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

 

About EPIX®

EPIX ®, an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises – all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX ® has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman’s butler Alfred; as well as upcoming premieres of drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story  Jerusalem’s Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia; and docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name.  Other originals include Emmy®-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon; docuseries  NFL: The Grind, from NFL Films and hosted by Rich Eisen;  Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; dramedy Bridge and Tunnel written and directed by Ed Burns; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and  Enslaved  featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX® is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.

 

Contact:

EPIX

Maureen Granados

mgranados@epix.com