LOS ANGELES and NEW YORK, March 5,
2013 /PRNewswire/ -- After a tremendously successful
partnership distributing AMC's wildly popular series, "The Walking
Dead", Anchor Bay Entertainment announced today a new deal with
AMC's parent company, AMC Networks, for home entertainment
distribution across the company's networks including AMC, IFC and
Sundance Channel. The home
entertainment distribution output agreement includes future
scripted series to be produced in-house by AMC, IFC and
Sundance Channel. This includes the
highly-anticipated Sundance Channel
scripted series, "Rectify," and AMC's recently greenlit original
drama series, "Low Winter Sun." The deal covers all US and Canadian
distribution on DVD, Blu-ray and certain transactional digital
distribution rights.
"AMC's 'The Walking Dead' has quickly become our best-selling
TV-on-DVD title to-date," commented Bill
Clark, President of Anchor Bay Entertainment. "AMC has
been an exceptional partner over the last few years and we look
forward to expanding our relationship to distribute future scripted
drama series from AMC, IFC and Sundance
Channel."
"Anchor Bay has been a terrific partner on 'The Walking Dead'
and we look forward to continuing to work with them to extend the
life of the series from AMC Networks' into the DVD and
transactional digital marketplace," said Ed
Carroll, Chief Operating Officer for AMC Networks.
AMC's "Low Winter Sun" and Sundance
Channel's "Rectify" will be the first two releases under the
new deal. "Low Winter Sun" is a co-production between Endemol
Studios and AMC Studios. Chris
Mundy ("Criminal Minds," "Cold Case") serves as writer,
executive producer and showrunner on the project, which stars
Mark Strong ("Tinker, Tailor,
Soldier Spy" "Zero Dark Thirty") and co-stars Lennie James ("The Walking Dead," "Jericho," "Snatch"). Season one consists of
ten, one-hour episodes. The highly-anticipated original
Sundance Channel series "Rectify"
debuts Monday, April 22, 2013.
The six-episode hour-long series was created and written by Academy
Award winner Ray McKinnon (The
Accountant, That Evening Sun, The Blind Side) and executive
produced by Mark Johnson and
Melissa Bernstein, the team behind
the critically-acclaimed AMC series, "Breaking Bad."
"Low Winter Sun"
A contemporary story of murder, deception, revenge and corruption
in a world where the line between cops and criminals is blurred,
"Low Winter Sun" begins with the murder of a cop by a fellow
Detroit detective. Seemingly the
perfect crime, in reality the murder activates forces that forever
alter the detective's life, and pull him into the heart of the
Detroit underworld. The
series is based on the 2006 award-winning British two-part
mini-series of the same name written by Simon Donald and
produced by Tiger Aspect Productions (an Endemol Company).
"Rectify"
When Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released after nearly 20 years of
complete isolation on death row, he returns as an outsider to his
family, to his community, and to the times. Somehow, he survived
the mental and emotional strain of his imprisonment, but now the
walls have suddenly come crumbling down and Daniel is set free in a
world he no longer understands. He's an outsider, lost in a once
familiar world, struggling to navigate his new found freedom.
Combined with two decades of technological and social changes to
his small town and the larger world, everything he encounters is a
puzzle. Daniel's unexpected presence not only throws his
family into disarray, it ripples out to all the people connected to
his case – the prosecutor who rode the notoriety to become a state
senator, the sheriff who pushed the boundaries of the
investigation, and the entire town of Paulie, GA, that blamed him
for killing one of their own. Like a deadly spark, Daniel's release
reignites the mystery, the power plays, and the questionable
justice that condemned him.
About AMC Networks Inc.
Dedicated to producing
quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC
Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and
award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce
and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content
that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also
operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming
business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a
full-service network programming feed origination and distribution
company.
About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay
Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company. Anchor
Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television
programming including STARZ Original series, children's
entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay
Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and
Blu-ray™ formats. The company has long term distribution
agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks,
RADiUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment
has offices in Troy, MI, as well
as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment
(www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB)
business, www.starz.com.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Sue Procko
SPPR, Inc. for Anchor Bay Entertainment
310-836-6200
sue@spprinc.com
Lisa Rogen
AMC Networks, Inc.
917-542-6216
L1rogen@AMCNetworks.com
SOURCE Anchor Bay Entertainment