Al Jaffee to Receive Harvey Kurtzman Hall of Fame Award
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con is September 2-4, 2016 at the Baltimore Convention Center, and will once again host the Harvey Awards on the evening of September 3, 2016. We are privileged to announce the addition of legendary MAD Magazine creator and industry luminary Al Jaffee for a special panel at the Baltimore Comic-Con and bestowal of the Harvey Kurtzman Hall of Fame Award. Mr. Jaffee will be joining us on Saturday, September 2nd. Tickets for the show and awards ceremony are now available.
Al Jaffee, MAD Magazine cartoonist and creator of the celebrated fold-in cover, is a Guinness World Record holder with the longest career of a comics artist (over 73 years!). His early career was spent as an artist for Timely Comics and Atlas Comics, and later again working for Stan Lee again as an editor on Timely's humor and teenage comics, including the Patsy Walker titles. His syndicated strip, Tall Tales, was collected and published by Abrams in 2008, winning the 2009 Harvey Award for Best Cartoonist and the Special Award for Humor in Comics. After time spent at MAD Magazine, he followed Harvey Kurtzman to Trump and Humbug, the former of which was recently collected and reprinted by Dark Horse. After both efforts folded, Jaffee returned to MAD Magazine, where he continues to provide fold-in covers to this day.
His work can be most recently be found in Tall Tales from Abrams (2008), the MAD Fold-In Collection 1964-2010 from Chronicle Books (2011) and Al Jaffee's Mad Life by Mary-Lou Weisman (and illustrations by Al Jaffee) from HarperCollins (2010).
Al has received numerous awards that celebrate his long career. He was inducted into the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame in 2014, and the Will Eisner Hall of Fame in 2013. He has received the Reuben Award from the National Cartoonists Society in 2008 as well as their Humor Comic Book Award in 1979. He was also Best Cartoonist in 2001 for his work on MAD Magazine. He has received the Sergio Award from the Comic Art Professional Society and the Inkpot Award at the San Diego Comic-Con.
"This is such a huge honor," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "Not only to have such a giant among giants of the comics field at the show, but to be able to celebrate his storied career and contributions to the industry at the Harvey Awards ceremony. We're exceptionally proud, and fans won't want to miss his panel Saturday at the show!"
TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/
GUARANTEED PARKING
To make parking easy and stress-free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow attendees driving to the show to purchase guaranteed parking near the Baltimore Comic-Con. Click here to book your guaranteed parking spot, or if you need help or have questions, call 800-232-6415.
In the coming weeks, look for more announcements from the Baltimore Comic-Con. We are looking forward to highlighting our guests, the Harvey Awards, industry exclusives, and programming. The latest developments can always be found on our website, Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook pages.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
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Friday, August 5, 2016
Kevin Eastman is "Guest of Honor" at 2016 Baltimore Comic-Con
2016 Guest of Honor Kevin Eastman Announced for Baltimore Comic-Con
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con takes place in the beautiful Inner Harbor on September 2-4, 2016 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce our 2016 Guest of Honor, Kevin Eastman. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see his premiere attendance at our show -- tickets are now on sale.
Kevin Eastman, collaborating with Peter Laird, self-published the first black & white issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in May, 1984 under their Mirage Studios banner. The 40-page over-sized comic had an initial print run of 3,000 copies, but received 3 additional printings within the next year and a half. Their second issue brought in advance orders of 15,000 copies - five times the initial print run of the first issue. By their fifth issue, TMNT was reformatted to the "normal" American comics size, and the previous four issues were reprinted to match with new color covers. With the Turtles' growing success and exposure, the property was licensed to numerous parties, including Dark Horse Miniatures, Palladium Books for an RPG, and First Comics, who reprinted the first eleven issues as 4-color trade paperback collections.
Palladium's RPG brought the Turtles to the attention of a noted licensing agent, and the Turtles phenomenon took off, with the various characters soon appearing on t-shirts, Halloween masks, and coffee mugs, just to name a few.
In December, 1987, a five-part televised TMNT cartoon mini-series debuted. Due to its success, this cartoon mini-series led to follow-on seasons that resulted in a run of 9 years over 10 seasons with 194 episodes in total. The ongoing success of the animated series also led to yet further merchandise sales, and new action figures and licensing agreements.
In 1990, Eastman went on to found Tundra Publishing, which enabled him to meet his own projects as well as those of creators looking for a way to publish independent work. Titles that eventually found their way under the Tundra banner include From Hell, Lost Girls, The Crow, American Splendor, and Madman. Discovering that Heavy Metal had been put up for sale, and with one of Tundra's stated aims being to bring a more adult sensibility to comics, Eastman purchased the magazine in January 1992. In 1993, Eastman sold Tundra Publishing to Kitchen Sink Press but maintained ownership of Heavy Metal, which he continues to edit.
He continues to work in comics for IDW Publishing, writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe, Fistful of Blood, and Hero Comics: A Hero Initiative Benefit Book, drawing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series and variant covers for TMNT titles such as TMNT: Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything, and reprints of his past work is featured in IDW's TMNT Color Classics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, and TMNT collections. He has also provided variant covers for DC's Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"This is really exciting for us," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "We've been hoping to line this up for some time now, and thanks to our friends at IDW Publishing, we can finally put this one in the books. Kevin is one of the people we hear about regularly, with fans asking us if we can bring him to the show. We're thrilled we can finally answer, 'Yes!'"
TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/
GUARANTEED PARKING
To make parking easy and stress-free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow attendees driving to the show to purchase guaranteed parking near the Baltimore Comic-Con. Click here to book your guaranteed parking spot, or if you need help or have questions, call 800-232-6415.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
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BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - The Baltimore Comic-Con takes place in the beautiful Inner Harbor on September 2-4, 2016 at the Baltimore Convention Center. The Baltimore Comic-Con is proud to announce our 2016 Guest of Honor, Kevin Eastman. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see his premiere attendance at our show -- tickets are now on sale.
Kevin Eastman, collaborating with Peter Laird, self-published the first black & white issue of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in May, 1984 under their Mirage Studios banner. The 40-page over-sized comic had an initial print run of 3,000 copies, but received 3 additional printings within the next year and a half. Their second issue brought in advance orders of 15,000 copies - five times the initial print run of the first issue. By their fifth issue, TMNT was reformatted to the "normal" American comics size, and the previous four issues were reprinted to match with new color covers. With the Turtles' growing success and exposure, the property was licensed to numerous parties, including Dark Horse Miniatures, Palladium Books for an RPG, and First Comics, who reprinted the first eleven issues as 4-color trade paperback collections.
Palladium's RPG brought the Turtles to the attention of a noted licensing agent, and the Turtles phenomenon took off, with the various characters soon appearing on t-shirts, Halloween masks, and coffee mugs, just to name a few.
In December, 1987, a five-part televised TMNT cartoon mini-series debuted. Due to its success, this cartoon mini-series led to follow-on seasons that resulted in a run of 9 years over 10 seasons with 194 episodes in total. The ongoing success of the animated series also led to yet further merchandise sales, and new action figures and licensing agreements.
In 1990, Eastman went on to found Tundra Publishing, which enabled him to meet his own projects as well as those of creators looking for a way to publish independent work. Titles that eventually found their way under the Tundra banner include From Hell, Lost Girls, The Crow, American Splendor, and Madman. Discovering that Heavy Metal had been put up for sale, and with one of Tundra's stated aims being to bring a more adult sensibility to comics, Eastman purchased the magazine in January 1992. In 1993, Eastman sold Tundra Publishing to Kitchen Sink Press but maintained ownership of Heavy Metal, which he continues to edit.
He continues to work in comics for IDW Publishing, writing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Universe, Fistful of Blood, and Hero Comics: A Hero Initiative Benefit Book, drawing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Kevin Eastman Notebook Series and variant covers for TMNT titles such as TMNT: Bebop & Rocksteady Destroy Everything, and reprints of his past work is featured in IDW's TMNT Color Classics, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The IDW Collection, and TMNT collections. He has also provided variant covers for DC's Batman/Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
"This is really exciting for us," said Marc Nathan, promoter of the Baltimore Comic-Con. "We've been hoping to line this up for some time now, and thanks to our friends at IDW Publishing, we can finally put this one in the books. Kevin is one of the people we hear about regularly, with fans asking us if we can bring him to the show. We're thrilled we can finally answer, 'Yes!'"
TICKETS
General Admission and VIP Package tickets for Weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, as well as the Harvey Awards, are now on sale! Visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com/tickets/ for more information and to purchase your advanced tickets now, and as always, kids 10 and under get into the show free with a paid adult General Admission!
HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS
While they are available, be sure to take advantage of discount rate arrangements we have made with hotels near the Baltimore Convention Center. For all the details, see: http://baltimorecomiccon.com/about/hotels/
GUARANTEED PARKING
To make parking easy and stress-free, we have partnered with Parking Panda, the nationwide leader in online parking reservations, to allow attendees driving to the show to purchase guaranteed parking near the Baltimore Comic-Con. Click here to book your guaranteed parking spot, or if you need help or have questions, call 800-232-6415.
Contact Information
Please use the following e-mail addresses to contact the Baltimore Comic-Con:
press@baltimorecomiccon.com - for any general press inquiries or to be added to our PR distribution
promoter@baltimorecomiccon.com - for requesting exhibitor, publisher, and Artist Alley applications
registrar@baltimorecomiccon.com - for inquiries about submitted registrations
harveys@baltimorecomiccon.com- for the Harvey Awards ceremony and banquet
general@baltimorecomiccon.com- for general Baltimore Comic-Con inquiries
About The Baltimore Comic-Con
The Baltimore Comic-Con is celebrating its 17th year of bringing the comic book industry to the Baltimore and Washington D.C. area. For more information, please visit www.baltimorecomiccon.com.
About The Harvey Awards
The Harvey Awards are one of the comic book industry's oldest and most respected awards. With a history of over 20 years, the last 11 in conjunction with the Baltimore Comic-Con, the Harveys recognize outstanding achievements in over 20 categories. They are the only industry awards nominated and selected by the full body of comic book professionals. For more information, please visit www.harveyawards.org.
---------------------
Martin Dugard's Book "Killing Reagan" to Be a National Geographic Channel Movie
The Violent Assault That Changed a Presidency
National Geographic Channel’s KILLING REAGAN Charts the Events That Led to the Attempted Assassination of a President and Its Unexpected Reverberations on History
Global Television Movie Event, Based on Best-Selling Book by Billo the Clown and Martin Dugard and Produced by Scott Free Productions, to Premiere on National Geographic Channel on Sunday, Oct. 16
LOS ANGELES & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. six shots were fired from a .22-caliber pistol at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. On one side of the gun was an aimless and deranged young man, misguided by an obsession with an American actress. His intended victim: the U.S. president. Though he failed in his assassination attempt, he succeeded in changing not only a presidency but a man and a marriage.
“No matter your political leanings, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan was not just a crucible in history, it didn't just reset the Reagan presidency, it told us about a man”
On Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, National Geographic Channel will go deep inside this harrowing moment in U.S. history, with KILLING REAGAN, produced with Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The two-hour movie event is the fourth in a successful partnership between NGC, Scott Free and Shrill O’Jivey, with the previous three collaborations — Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus — serving as the network’s three most-watched programs of all time and earning multiple Emmy nominations. The movie will air globally in early 2017 on National Geographic Channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages.
Leading the KILLING REAGAN cast are Tim Matheson (“The West Wing,” “Burn Notice,” “Animal House”) as Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who was struck down only 69 days into his presidency, and Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City,” Tony Award for “Rabbit Hole”) as Nancy Reagan, the loyal and protective first lady. Actor and improv comic Kyle More (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “CSI”) portrays John Hinckley Jr., the misguided and mentally unstable would-be assassin. The movie is directed by Rod Lurie (“The Contender,” “Commander in Chief”) from a script written by Oscar-winner Eric Simonson (“A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin”).
“No matter your political leanings, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan was not just a crucible in history, it didn't just reset the Reagan presidency, it told us about a man,” said Lurie. “This isn't so much a political thriller as it is a psychological thriller. We get deep into the head of Reagan and get even deeper into the heart of his love story with Nancy. We get into Hinckley's insanity, but we also get into the tick-tock of the environment that drove him to want to murder Reagan.”
KILLING REAGAN begins late in the 1980 election campaign as Ronald Reagan (Matheson) and Jimmy Carter battle for the Oval Office. With help from his group of trusted advisors, including Jim Baker III (Geoff Pierson, “Castle,” “Dexter,” “Boardwalk Empire”), Mike Deaver (Jeff Harlan, “Parks and Recreation,” “NCIS”), James Brady (Michael H. Cole, “Dirty Grandpa”) and Edwin Meese (Joel Murray, “Mad Men,” Shameless”), and his fiercely protective wife Nancy (Nixon), Reagan is able to reposition his public persona, easily winning the election. But the early days of his presidency prove rocky as he battles low approval ratings and an unfriendly Congress.
At the same time, 25-year-old Hinckley (More) is increasingly spiraling into mental instability. He ignores his parents’ pleas to seek therapy or to hold down a steady job and instead fixates on actress Jodie Foster. After a disastrous attempt to visit her at Yale, he decides to try and get her attention with an extreme action: assassinating the president.
On the afternoon of March 30, 1981, at 2:27, these disparate figures collide with each other and history outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Hinckley fires six shots at Reagan and his entourage as they depart an event, striking a local police officer, a Secret Service agent, Brady and the president. The event sent the White House — and the nation — into a chaos that rewrote the course of history: The president’s popularity surged during his recovery, and the assassination attempt forever changed the intimate dynamics of his marriage.
“If Hinckley had never pulled that trigger — if he’d gotten the help he needed to deal with his mental health — this world might be a much different place now,” said Bill O’Reilly. “President Reagan was truly damaged in the early days of his presidency, and this horrific act turned his presidency on its head. It’s a riveting period of history, with effects that reverberated through the whole world.”
Click here to view the trailer
Killing Reagan will be produced for National Geographic Channels by Scott Free Productions. For Scott Free, Ridley Scott. David W. Zucker and Mary Lisio are executive producers, and Clayton Krueger is co-executive producer. Bill O’Reilly is also executive producer. For National Geographic Channels, Carolyn G. Bernstein is executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production.
For more information, visit www.ngcpr.com, or follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.
About National Geographic Channels
The National Geographic Channels (The Channels) form the television and production arm of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society. As a global leader in premium science, adventure and exploration programming, the Channels include: National Geographic Channel (NGC), Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo MUNDO. Additionally, the Channels also run the in-house television production unit, National Geographic Studios. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with entertaining, innovative programming from A-level talent around the world, and with profits that help support the society’s mission. Globally, NGC is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages, and Nat Geo WILD is available in 131 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Partners is also a leader in social media, with a fan base of 250 million people across all of its social pages. NGC contributes over 55 million social media fans globally on Facebook alone. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and www.natgeowild.com.
About Scott Free Productions
Scott Free Productions is the film and television production company of acclaimed film director Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 70 Emmy nominations with 20 wins, and 20 Golden Globe nominations for its highly acclaimed television projects, which include: the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated, Peabody-acclaimed drama, “The Good Wife,” which recently concluded its 7th and final season on CBS, as well as “Numb3rs,” which ran for six successful seasons on the same network. 2016 productions include a series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon; the Civil War medical drama, “Mercy Street,” PBS’ first scripted series in over a decade; the CBS satirical summer series “Braindead”; an Amazon action-comedy half-hour pilot starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as “Jean-Claude Van Johnson”; the AMC historical anthology series “The Terror”; an online all-access spinoff of “The Good Wife”; and KILLING REAGAN, the fourth in the acclaimed National Geographic channel series of “Killing” telefilms (prior record-setting broadcasts include Killing Jesus and Killing Kennedy, both Emmy-nominated, plus the docudrama Killing Lincoln). Notable projects on the current development slate include “Strange Angel” for AMC, “Vatican City” for Amazon and “3001: The Final Odyssey” for Syfy, as well as limited series adaptations of “Blood & Thunder," the epic tale of Kit Carson and the conquering of the American West, and the best-selling nonfiction thriller “The Hot Zone."
Scott Free has produced a steady stream of highly acclaimed long form programs including “Klondike” for Discovery, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated “The Pillars of the Earth” for Starz, “World Without End” for Reelz, Emmy-nominated “Into the Storm” for HBO, Emmy-nominated “The Andromeda Strain” and “Coma” for A&E, Golden Globe-nominated “The Company” at TNT and a feature-length digital series for X-Box/Microsoft, “Halo: Nightfall.” Notable nonfiction programs include “Crimes of the Century” and the Emmy-winning documentary special “Gettysburg” for History Channel.
With offices in Los Angeles and London, Scott Free works closely with RSA Films, one of the world’s largest and most successful commercial production houses in the world.
----------------------
National Geographic Channel’s KILLING REAGAN Charts the Events That Led to the Attempted Assassination of a President and Its Unexpected Reverberations on History
Global Television Movie Event, Based on Best-Selling Book by Billo the Clown and Martin Dugard and Produced by Scott Free Productions, to Premiere on National Geographic Channel on Sunday, Oct. 16
LOS ANGELES & WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On March 30, 1981, at 2:27 p.m. six shots were fired from a .22-caliber pistol at the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. On one side of the gun was an aimless and deranged young man, misguided by an obsession with an American actress. His intended victim: the U.S. president. Though he failed in his assassination attempt, he succeeded in changing not only a presidency but a man and a marriage.
“No matter your political leanings, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan was not just a crucible in history, it didn't just reset the Reagan presidency, it told us about a man”
On Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016, National Geographic Channel will go deep inside this harrowing moment in U.S. history, with KILLING REAGAN, produced with Scott Free Productions and based on the New York Times best-selling book by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard. The two-hour movie event is the fourth in a successful partnership between NGC, Scott Free and Shrill O’Jivey, with the previous three collaborations — Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus — serving as the network’s three most-watched programs of all time and earning multiple Emmy nominations. The movie will air globally in early 2017 on National Geographic Channels in 171 countries and in 45 languages.
Leading the KILLING REAGAN cast are Tim Matheson (“The West Wing,” “Burn Notice,” “Animal House”) as Ronald Reagan, the 40th president of the United States, who was struck down only 69 days into his presidency, and Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City,” Tony Award for “Rabbit Hole”) as Nancy Reagan, the loyal and protective first lady. Actor and improv comic Kyle More (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” “CSI”) portrays John Hinckley Jr., the misguided and mentally unstable would-be assassin. The movie is directed by Rod Lurie (“The Contender,” “Commander in Chief”) from a script written by Oscar-winner Eric Simonson (“A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin”).
“No matter your political leanings, the assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan was not just a crucible in history, it didn't just reset the Reagan presidency, it told us about a man,” said Lurie. “This isn't so much a political thriller as it is a psychological thriller. We get deep into the head of Reagan and get even deeper into the heart of his love story with Nancy. We get into Hinckley's insanity, but we also get into the tick-tock of the environment that drove him to want to murder Reagan.”
KILLING REAGAN begins late in the 1980 election campaign as Ronald Reagan (Matheson) and Jimmy Carter battle for the Oval Office. With help from his group of trusted advisors, including Jim Baker III (Geoff Pierson, “Castle,” “Dexter,” “Boardwalk Empire”), Mike Deaver (Jeff Harlan, “Parks and Recreation,” “NCIS”), James Brady (Michael H. Cole, “Dirty Grandpa”) and Edwin Meese (Joel Murray, “Mad Men,” Shameless”), and his fiercely protective wife Nancy (Nixon), Reagan is able to reposition his public persona, easily winning the election. But the early days of his presidency prove rocky as he battles low approval ratings and an unfriendly Congress.
At the same time, 25-year-old Hinckley (More) is increasingly spiraling into mental instability. He ignores his parents’ pleas to seek therapy or to hold down a steady job and instead fixates on actress Jodie Foster. After a disastrous attempt to visit her at Yale, he decides to try and get her attention with an extreme action: assassinating the president.
On the afternoon of March 30, 1981, at 2:27, these disparate figures collide with each other and history outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Hinckley fires six shots at Reagan and his entourage as they depart an event, striking a local police officer, a Secret Service agent, Brady and the president. The event sent the White House — and the nation — into a chaos that rewrote the course of history: The president’s popularity surged during his recovery, and the assassination attempt forever changed the intimate dynamics of his marriage.
“If Hinckley had never pulled that trigger — if he’d gotten the help he needed to deal with his mental health — this world might be a much different place now,” said Bill O’Reilly. “President Reagan was truly damaged in the early days of his presidency, and this horrific act turned his presidency on its head. It’s a riveting period of history, with effects that reverberated through the whole world.”
Click here to view the trailer
Killing Reagan will be produced for National Geographic Channels by Scott Free Productions. For Scott Free, Ridley Scott. David W. Zucker and Mary Lisio are executive producers, and Clayton Krueger is co-executive producer. Bill O’Reilly is also executive producer. For National Geographic Channels, Carolyn G. Bernstein is executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production.
For more information, visit www.ngcpr.com, or follow us on Twitter at @NGC_PR.
About National Geographic Channels
The National Geographic Channels (The Channels) form the television and production arm of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society. As a global leader in premium science, adventure and exploration programming, the Channels include: National Geographic Channel (NGC), Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo MUNDO. Additionally, the Channels also run the in-house television production unit, National Geographic Studios. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education with entertaining, innovative programming from A-level talent around the world, and with profits that help support the society’s mission. Globally, NGC is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages, and Nat Geo WILD is available in 131 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Partners is also a leader in social media, with a fan base of 250 million people across all of its social pages. NGC contributes over 55 million social media fans globally on Facebook alone. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and www.natgeowild.com.
About Scott Free Productions
Scott Free Productions is the film and television production company of acclaimed film director Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 70 Emmy nominations with 20 wins, and 20 Golden Globe nominations for its highly acclaimed television projects, which include: the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated, Peabody-acclaimed drama, “The Good Wife,” which recently concluded its 7th and final season on CBS, as well as “Numb3rs,” which ran for six successful seasons on the same network. 2016 productions include a series adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s classic “The Man in the High Castle” for Amazon; the Civil War medical drama, “Mercy Street,” PBS’ first scripted series in over a decade; the CBS satirical summer series “Braindead”; an Amazon action-comedy half-hour pilot starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as “Jean-Claude Van Johnson”; the AMC historical anthology series “The Terror”; an online all-access spinoff of “The Good Wife”; and KILLING REAGAN, the fourth in the acclaimed National Geographic channel series of “Killing” telefilms (prior record-setting broadcasts include Killing Jesus and Killing Kennedy, both Emmy-nominated, plus the docudrama Killing Lincoln). Notable projects on the current development slate include “Strange Angel” for AMC, “Vatican City” for Amazon and “3001: The Final Odyssey” for Syfy, as well as limited series adaptations of “Blood & Thunder," the epic tale of Kit Carson and the conquering of the American West, and the best-selling nonfiction thriller “The Hot Zone."
Scott Free has produced a steady stream of highly acclaimed long form programs including “Klondike” for Discovery, the Emmy- and Golden Globe-nominated “The Pillars of the Earth” for Starz, “World Without End” for Reelz, Emmy-nominated “Into the Storm” for HBO, Emmy-nominated “The Andromeda Strain” and “Coma” for A&E, Golden Globe-nominated “The Company” at TNT and a feature-length digital series for X-Box/Microsoft, “Halo: Nightfall.” Notable nonfiction programs include “Crimes of the Century” and the Emmy-winning documentary special “Gettysburg” for History Channel.
With offices in Los Angeles and London, Scott Free works closely with RSA Films, one of the world’s largest and most successful commercial production houses in the world.
----------------------
Thursday, August 4, 2016
Skydance to Produce a Live-Action Series Based on "Sword Art Online"
Skydance Media Acquires Global Live Action Rights to “Sword Art Online” Phenomenon
Studio Fast-Tracks Launch of All-New Franchise with First-Ever Live Action TV Series
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skydance Media, a diversified media company that creates elevated, event-level entertainment for global audiences, today announced that it has acquired the global live action rights to Sword Art Online (SAO), the smash hit Japanese novel and anime franchise, in partnership with KADOKAWA Corporation.
.@Skydance Acquires Global Live Action Rights To #SwordArtOnline Phenomenon
Skydance plans to fast-track the launch of an all-new franchise by developing and producing the first-ever live action SAO TV series. Laeta Kalogridis (Avatar, Shutter Island, Terminator Genisys) will write the pilot episode and serve as an executive producer alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross.
SAO is a global franchise based on the popular light novel series of 22 books by author Reki Kawahara, which have collectively sold over 19 million print copies worldwide. The novels have been spun off into nine comic adaptations, two anime television series, a video game and merchandise program, and – most recently – an animated film set to be released in Japan in 2017.
The all-new Skydance Television series will follow a brilliant young beta tester Kirito and his group of friends when they are trapped – alongside 10,000 other people – in a next-generation virtual reality online role-playing game. The game is a world unto itself: filled with sword fighting, monsters and mystery, where the stakes are life and death. Kirito and an ensemble of diverse characters must fight their way through this hostile environment while making lives for themselves in the fantastical world that is Sword Art Online. Following its television series, Skydance plans to launch a first-of-its-kind SAO virtual reality experience through Skydance Interactive.
“At Skydance we are in the business of world-building and SAO is a massive pop-culture phenomenon from which we plan to launch a full-scale and wide-ranging set of live action franchise extensions across our business verticals, beginning with television,” said Skydance Media Chief Executive Officer David Ellison. “We look forward to working alongside Laeta, Reki Kawahara and the teams at KADOKAWA and Aniplex to build out a deeply immersive new universe of SAO in an authentic way that honors its well-established fan base around the globe.”
“I am excited and moved that Sword Art Online will be adapted into a live action series by the highly respected Skydance Media,” commented Reki Kawahara. “I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved in this project, and to the fans all over the world who have so generously and enthusiastically supported SAO.”
“For years I have been inspired by the inventive and masterful storytelling of the SAO franchise,” added Kalogridis. “I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to work with such talented partners to bring this cutting-edge yet timeless story to a new format at Skydance.”
Laeta Kalogridis is a film and television writer-producer. Her writing work includes the first X-Men, Tomb Raider, Scream 3, Alexander, Night Watch, Bionic Woman, Pathfinder and Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, which she also executive produced. She worked alongside Skydance as writer and producer on 2015’s feature film Terminator Genisys. Additional producing credits include James Cameron’s Avatar and White House Down. Kalogridis has a first-look and consulting arrangement with Skydance and is currently writing and executive producing the studio’s sci-fi television series Altered Carbon for Netflix. She is repped by WME.
About SAO
Sword Art Online (SAO) is a global franchise based on the popular novel series of 22 books by author Reki Kawahara and published by KADOKAWA, which have collectively sold over 19 million print copies worldwide since the first novel was published in 2009. The novels have spawned nine comic adaptations published by KADOKAWA, a video game that has sold over 1.9 million copies and been downloaded over 9 million times globally since its release in 2013, two anime television series adaptations distributed by Aniplex and animated by A-1 Pictures that have together sold over 930,000 home video units worldwide, as well as merchandise programs. Sword Art Online has been available on Netflix in North America since March of 2014. An animated film titled Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale, featuring an original story written by Reki Kawahara, distributed by Aniplex and animated by A-1 Pictures, is set for theatrical release in 2017 in Japan.
About Skydance Media
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create elevated, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across platforms, including feature film, television and interactive. Among Skydance Media’s commercially and critically successful feature films are Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Jack Reacher, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Star Trek Into Darkness and True Grit. Its 2015 feature films, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Terminator Genisys, together grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Skydance’s feature film slate includes Star Trek Beyond on July 22, 2016, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on October 21, 2016, Life on March 24, 2017 and Geostorm on October 20, 2017. Skydance Media’s rapidly growing and critically acclaimed television division launched in 2013. The Company’s television slate now features a variety of projects across a number of networks, including Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie and Altered Carbon on Netflix, Red Mars on Spike TV, Jack Ryan on Amazon, and Condor on DirecTV. In 2016, Skydance acquired leading game developer The Workshop Entertainment and formed Skydance Interactive, a new division that creates and publishes virtual reality experiences.
About KADOKAWA Corporation
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, KADOKAWA Corporation is one of the most well established Japanese entertainment companies. Founded in 1945, it produces a wide variety of publications and visual contents, including novels, comics, magazines, live-action films and animation series. In April 2016, KADOKAWA announced partnerships with Hachette Book Group and Crunchyroll, Inc. for the distribution of its works in the North American market.
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Studio Fast-Tracks Launch of All-New Franchise with First-Ever Live Action TV Series
SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Skydance Media, a diversified media company that creates elevated, event-level entertainment for global audiences, today announced that it has acquired the global live action rights to Sword Art Online (SAO), the smash hit Japanese novel and anime franchise, in partnership with KADOKAWA Corporation.
.@Skydance Acquires Global Live Action Rights To #SwordArtOnline Phenomenon
Skydance plans to fast-track the launch of an all-new franchise by developing and producing the first-ever live action SAO TV series. Laeta Kalogridis (Avatar, Shutter Island, Terminator Genisys) will write the pilot episode and serve as an executive producer alongside David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Marcy Ross.
SAO is a global franchise based on the popular light novel series of 22 books by author Reki Kawahara, which have collectively sold over 19 million print copies worldwide. The novels have been spun off into nine comic adaptations, two anime television series, a video game and merchandise program, and – most recently – an animated film set to be released in Japan in 2017.
The all-new Skydance Television series will follow a brilliant young beta tester Kirito and his group of friends when they are trapped – alongside 10,000 other people – in a next-generation virtual reality online role-playing game. The game is a world unto itself: filled with sword fighting, monsters and mystery, where the stakes are life and death. Kirito and an ensemble of diverse characters must fight their way through this hostile environment while making lives for themselves in the fantastical world that is Sword Art Online. Following its television series, Skydance plans to launch a first-of-its-kind SAO virtual reality experience through Skydance Interactive.
“At Skydance we are in the business of world-building and SAO is a massive pop-culture phenomenon from which we plan to launch a full-scale and wide-ranging set of live action franchise extensions across our business verticals, beginning with television,” said Skydance Media Chief Executive Officer David Ellison. “We look forward to working alongside Laeta, Reki Kawahara and the teams at KADOKAWA and Aniplex to build out a deeply immersive new universe of SAO in an authentic way that honors its well-established fan base around the globe.”
“I am excited and moved that Sword Art Online will be adapted into a live action series by the highly respected Skydance Media,” commented Reki Kawahara. “I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved in this project, and to the fans all over the world who have so generously and enthusiastically supported SAO.”
“For years I have been inspired by the inventive and masterful storytelling of the SAO franchise,” added Kalogridis. “I’m thrilled to get the opportunity to work with such talented partners to bring this cutting-edge yet timeless story to a new format at Skydance.”
Laeta Kalogridis is a film and television writer-producer. Her writing work includes the first X-Men, Tomb Raider, Scream 3, Alexander, Night Watch, Bionic Woman, Pathfinder and Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, which she also executive produced. She worked alongside Skydance as writer and producer on 2015’s feature film Terminator Genisys. Additional producing credits include James Cameron’s Avatar and White House Down. Kalogridis has a first-look and consulting arrangement with Skydance and is currently writing and executive producing the studio’s sci-fi television series Altered Carbon for Netflix. She is repped by WME.
About SAO
Sword Art Online (SAO) is a global franchise based on the popular novel series of 22 books by author Reki Kawahara and published by KADOKAWA, which have collectively sold over 19 million print copies worldwide since the first novel was published in 2009. The novels have spawned nine comic adaptations published by KADOKAWA, a video game that has sold over 1.9 million copies and been downloaded over 9 million times globally since its release in 2013, two anime television series adaptations distributed by Aniplex and animated by A-1 Pictures that have together sold over 930,000 home video units worldwide, as well as merchandise programs. Sword Art Online has been available on Netflix in North America since March of 2014. An animated film titled Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale, featuring an original story written by Reki Kawahara, distributed by Aniplex and animated by A-1 Pictures, is set for theatrical release in 2017 in Japan.
About Skydance Media
Skydance is a diversified media company founded by David Ellison in 2010 to create elevated, event-level entertainment for global audiences. The Company brings to life stories of immersive worlds across platforms, including feature film, television and interactive. Among Skydance Media’s commercially and critically successful feature films are Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Terminator Genisys, World War Z, Jack Reacher, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Star Trek Into Darkness and True Grit. Its 2015 feature films, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation and Terminator Genisys, together grossed over $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Skydance’s feature film slate includes Star Trek Beyond on July 22, 2016, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back on October 21, 2016, Life on March 24, 2017 and Geostorm on October 20, 2017. Skydance Media’s rapidly growing and critically acclaimed television division launched in 2013. The Company’s television slate now features a variety of projects across a number of networks, including Emmy-nominated Grace and Frankie and Altered Carbon on Netflix, Red Mars on Spike TV, Jack Ryan on Amazon, and Condor on DirecTV. In 2016, Skydance acquired leading game developer The Workshop Entertainment and formed Skydance Interactive, a new division that creates and publishes virtual reality experiences.
About KADOKAWA Corporation
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, KADOKAWA Corporation is one of the most well established Japanese entertainment companies. Founded in 1945, it produces a wide variety of publications and visual contents, including novels, comics, magazines, live-action films and animation series. In April 2016, KADOKAWA announced partnerships with Hachette Book Group and Crunchyroll, Inc. for the distribution of its works in the North American market.
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J.K. Rowling Currently Writing Second "Fantastic Beasts" Film
The Next Film in the “Fantastic Beasts” Series is in the Works, Being Written by J.K. Rowling
The Next Adventure Will Open Worldwide on November 16, 2018
The “Fantastic Beasts” Film Series Adds to the Global Expansion of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As anticipation builds for the November 18th, 2016 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the Studio has announced plans to return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World for the next film in the series, slated for worldwide release on November 16, 2018. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
Wizarding world creator J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the first film, is scripting the sequel.
The second “Fantastic Beasts” movie moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances.
Director David Yates (the final four “Harry Potter” films) will again take the helm, having recently completed work on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The new film will also reunite producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen will serve as executive producers.
The “Fantastic Beasts” franchise is an important part of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, a brand which continues to expand. The new play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two,” has just opened to rave reviews in London, drawing rapturous applause in sold out performances, and the script of the play, just published, has already seen unprecedented sales for a script book. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks at Universal Studios in Orlando, Hollywood and Osaka, Japan, continue to entertain record crowds and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter offers another extremely popular experience for fans of all ages. There is much more on the horizon, all highlighting that the global interest in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World in every medium is stronger than ever.
The “Fantastic Beasts” films will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
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The Next Adventure Will Open Worldwide on November 16, 2018
The “Fantastic Beasts” Film Series Adds to the Global Expansion of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World
BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As anticipation builds for the November 18th, 2016 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ adventure “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” the Studio has announced plans to return to J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World for the next film in the series, slated for worldwide release on November 16, 2018. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
Wizarding world creator J.K. Rowling, who made her screenwriting debut on the first film, is scripting the sequel.
The second “Fantastic Beasts” movie moves deeper into an increasingly dark time for the wizarding world, where Newt and our other heroes have to decide on their allegiances.
Director David Yates (the final four “Harry Potter” films) will again take the helm, having recently completed work on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The new film will also reunite producers David Heyman, J.K. Rowling, Steve Kloves and Lionel Wigram. Neil Blair, Rick Senat and Danny Cohen will serve as executive producers.
The “Fantastic Beasts” franchise is an important part of J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, a brand which continues to expand. The new play, “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One and Two,” has just opened to rave reviews in London, drawing rapturous applause in sold out performances, and the script of the play, just published, has already seen unprecedented sales for a script book. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks at Universal Studios in Orlando, Hollywood and Osaka, Japan, continue to entertain record crowds and Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter offers another extremely popular experience for fans of all ages. There is much more on the horizon, all highlighting that the global interest in J.K. Rowling’s Wizarding World in every medium is stronger than ever.
The “Fantastic Beasts” films will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.
-----------------------
Amazon and Sky Announce Original Drama, "Britannia"
Amazon and Sky Greenlight Original Dramatic Series Britannia
Currently in production and set for a 2017 debut, Sky and Amazon’s first co-production is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth and stars Kelly Reilly, David Morrissey and Zoe Wanamaker; Series will launch exclusively to Prime members in the US
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon and Sky today announced it has added Britannia to its lineup of dramatic Amazon Original Series in the US and Sky Original Dramas in the UK. Britannia is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem, Spectre) and stars Kelly Reilly (True Detective, Sherlock Holmes), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Hollow Crown) and Zoe Wanamaker (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, My Family). Filmed completely abroad, Britannia is set in 43AD as the Roman Imperial Army, determined and terrified in equal measure, returns to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia, a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful Druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld. Britannia is scheduled to premiere on Sky 1 in the UK and Ireland, and on Prime Video in the U.S. in 2017.
“Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Sky on this series entirely produced overseas,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Digital Video and Amazon Studios. “Our customers will experience a cinematic world with bold characters anchored in a ruthless period of history.”
“This is one of the most ambitious dramas we’ve ever made and one of the most exciting,” said Anne Mensah, Sky’s Head of Drama. “Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”
Britannia is produced by Rick McCallum (Star Wars) and executive produced by Vertigo Films’ James Richardson (Monsters, Bronson) with Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown from Neal Street Productions (Penny Dreadful, Call the Midwife) and Anne Thomopolous (Rome, Band of Brothers). The series is written by Jez and Tom Butterworth (Fortitude, Tin Star) with Richard McBrien (Spooks, Merlin).
In the US, Britannia adds to a growing roster of dramatic Amazon Original Series, including The Man in the High Castle, Bosch and Hand of God, as well as upcoming series Goliath, Good Girls Revolt, Sneaky Pete and Patriot. In the UK, Britannia joins 12 original drama series already on air or set to air over the next couple of years on Sky Atlantic and Sky 1 including The Young Pope, Hooten & The Lady, Guerrilla, Tin Star, Delicious, Riviera, Jamestown and The Last Dragonslayer, as well as returning series including Fortitude and Agatha Raisin. The news also follows a successful year for Sky original drama, with BAFTA nominations for The Last Panthers and The Enfield Haunting and record-breaking audiences for Stan Lee’s Lucky Man on Sky 1.
The international distribution rights (excluding the US) for Britannia will be handled by Sky Vision, Sky’s international production and distribution arm. WME and Sky Vision negotiated the deal with Amazon.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:
In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items across all categories, more than one million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Cloud Drive with Prime Photos, access to borrow books with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.
About Sky
Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 21 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.
Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £4.9 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).
For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate
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Currently in production and set for a 2017 debut, Sky and Amazon’s first co-production is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth and stars Kelly Reilly, David Morrissey and Zoe Wanamaker; Series will launch exclusively to Prime members in the US
SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon and Sky today announced it has added Britannia to its lineup of dramatic Amazon Original Series in the US and Sky Original Dramas in the UK. Britannia is written by the multi-award winning Jez Butterworth (Jerusalem, Spectre) and stars Kelly Reilly (True Detective, Sherlock Holmes), David Morrissey (The Walking Dead, The Hollow Crown) and Zoe Wanamaker (Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, My Family). Filmed completely abroad, Britannia is set in 43AD as the Roman Imperial Army, determined and terrified in equal measure, returns to crush the Celtic heart of Britannia, a mysterious land ruled by wild warrior women and powerful Druids who can channel the powerful forces of the underworld. Britannia is scheduled to premiere on Sky 1 in the UK and Ireland, and on Prime Video in the U.S. in 2017.
“Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with Sky on this series entirely produced overseas,” said Roy Price, Vice President, Digital Video and Amazon Studios. “Our customers will experience a cinematic world with bold characters anchored in a ruthless period of history.”
“This is one of the most ambitious dramas we’ve ever made and one of the most exciting,” said Anne Mensah, Sky’s Head of Drama. “Jez Butterworth has written an incredible drama that is entertaining and emotional but also asks important questions about what drives men and women to stand and fight; this is a battle for the heart of Britain like you’ve never seen before.”
Britannia is produced by Rick McCallum (Star Wars) and executive produced by Vertigo Films’ James Richardson (Monsters, Bronson) with Pippa Harris and Nicolas Brown from Neal Street Productions (Penny Dreadful, Call the Midwife) and Anne Thomopolous (Rome, Band of Brothers). The series is written by Jez and Tom Butterworth (Fortitude, Tin Star) with Richard McBrien (Spooks, Merlin).
In the US, Britannia adds to a growing roster of dramatic Amazon Original Series, including The Man in the High Castle, Bosch and Hand of God, as well as upcoming series Goliath, Good Girls Revolt, Sneaky Pete and Patriot. In the UK, Britannia joins 12 original drama series already on air or set to air over the next couple of years on Sky Atlantic and Sky 1 including The Young Pope, Hooten & The Lady, Guerrilla, Tin Star, Delicious, Riviera, Jamestown and The Last Dragonslayer, as well as returning series including Fortitude and Agatha Raisin. The news also follows a successful year for Sky original drama, with BAFTA nominations for The Last Panthers and The Enfield Haunting and record-breaking audiences for Stan Lee’s Lucky Man on Sky 1.
The international distribution rights (excluding the US) for Britannia will be handled by Sky Vision, Sky’s international production and distribution arm. WME and Sky Vision negotiated the deal with Amazon.
About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch, and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:
- Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, kids series Tumble Leaf and Chi Raq, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership
- Add-on Subscriptions: Dozens of subscriptions to networks like SHOWTIME, STARZ and more, available to Amazon Prime members as add-ons to their membership
- Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new-release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers
- Instant Access: Instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices visit www.amazon.com/howtostream
- Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of certain content
In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited Free Two-Day Shipping on millions of items across all categories, more than one million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, early access to select Lightning Deals all year long, free secure, unlimited photo storage in Amazon Cloud Drive with Prime Photos, access to borrow books with the Kindle Owners’ Lending Library, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more visit: www.amazon.com/prime.
About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime, Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.
About Sky
Sky is Europe's leading entertainment company, serving 21 million customers across five countries: UK, Ireland, Germany, Austria and Italy. We offer the best and broadest range of content, deliver market-leading customer service and use innovative new technology to give customers a better TV experience, whenever and wherever they choose.
Sky has annual revenues of over £11 billion and is Europe's leading investor in television content with a combined programming budget of £4.9 billion. The group employs 30,000 people and is listed on the London Stock Exchange (SKY).
For more information visit www.sky.com/corporate
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Image Comics Announces "The Discipline" Trade Paperback
The controversial first chapter collected into trade paperback this October
Sizzling creative team Peter Milligan (The Names, X-Statix, Hellblazer) and Leandro Fernandez (The Names, Punisher MAX, Northlanders: The Plague Widow) will release the first arc of their chillingly erotic horror series THE DISCIPLINE in trade paperback this October.
When frustrated Manhattan wife Melissa Peake allows herself to be seduced by a mysterious stranger, she is drawn into an ancient war between The Discipline and the creatures known as The Stalkers…and must discover hitherto unimagined potential within herself to survive. But at what cost? Whatever you've heard about it won’t prepare you for...THE DISCIPLINE.
THE DISCIPLINE, VOLUME 1 (ISBN: 9781632159229) hits comic book stores Wednesday, October 5th and bookstores Tuesday, October 11th and will be available for $9.99. It can be ordered by retailers with Diamond code: JUL160795. It can be preordered now via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Indiebound, and Indigo.
PRAISE FOR THE DISCIPLINE:
“Milligan and Fernandez are cooking up one hell of a sexually charged mystery building on something many people can relate to—feeling sexually starved—and using it to reveal a mysterious world involving sex, violence, and manipulation.” —AiPT!
“Fernandez’s use of shadow to evoke sexual tension and fear of the unknown reinforces an atmosphere of fear-tinged titillation, yet never approaches unwarranted visual depravity.” —Broken Frontier
“THE DISCIPLINE delivers a story that is mythical, risqué, eccentric and mysterious.” —Monkeys Fighting Robots
“THE DISCIPLINE is a dark, suggestive, and ultimately interesting look at what goes with the world after dark. Be it monsters or men, we are all slaves to the night.” —Fangoria
ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.
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