STARZ IN DEVELOPMENT TO CO-PRODUCE ORIGINAL SERIES “MALEFICIO” WITH TELEVISA USA
Mexican Television Writer and Producer Mauricio Katz to Serve as Showrunner
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz has partnered with Televisa USA, a division of the Mexican media company Grupo Televisa, to develop the original series “Maleficio.” The Starz and Televisa USA co-production is based on the popular Mexican production “El Maleficio,” which originally aired in 1983-84 with 320 episodes to become one of the most successful telenovelas of all time.
The new supernatural thriller will center on Don Enrique De Martino, a powerful Mexican businessman who has made a deadly pact with the Devil. Writer and Producer Mauricio Katz (“Niño Santo,” “The Bridge”) will serve as showrunner. Pedro Peirano (No, “Niño Santo”) will serve as executive producer and will co-write the first episode with Katz. Peirano, an award-winning Chilean director, screenwriter, journalist, cartoonist and television producer, wrote the film No, which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Film in 2013.
“We are pleased to partner with Televisa USA for an adaptation of such an incredibly successful series and bring it to the U.S. audience,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director for Starz. “With Mauricio Katz’s prolific writing guiding the project and Pedro Peirano executive producing, ‘Maleficio’ was a project we knew was worth developing.”
“Starz’ stamp of quality together with Mauricio and Pedro¹s tremendous vision and intimate knowledge of the format will ensure an impactful return of this iconic series,” said Chris Philip, head of production and distribution for Televisa USA. “’Maleficios’ past success means we have a built-in audience of hundreds of millions of fans worldwide.”
Katz is a prolific television writer and producer in Mexico where he co-created and executive produced the hit TV series “Niño Santo” that aired for two seasons. Most recently, Katz served as consulting producer on “The Bridge” for FX. In addition, he wrote the critically acclaimed Mexican film MISS BALA, screened in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival and the prestigious New York Film Festiva. Katz is repped by UTA.
Starz will retain all domestic and Canadian rights and Televisa USA will retain International rights.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
About Grupo Televisa
Televisa is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world based on its market capitalization and a major participant in the international entertainment business. It operates four broadcast channels in Mexico City, produces and distributes 25 pay-TV brands for distribution in Mexico and the rest of the world, and exports its programs and formats to the U.S. through Univision Communications Inc. ("Univision") and to other television networks in over 50 countries. Televisa is also an active participant in Mexico's telecommunications industry. It has a majority interest in Sky, a leading direct-to-home satellite television system operating in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Central America. Televisa also participates in Mexico's telecommunications industry in many regions of the country where it offers video, voice and broadband services. Televisa also has interests in magazine publishing and distribution, radio production and broadcasting, professional sports and live entertainment, feature-film production and distribution, the operation of a horizontal Internet portal and gaming. In the United States, Televisa has equity and warrants which upon its exercise and subject to any necessary approval from the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") in the United States, would represent approximately 36% on a fully diluted, as-converted basis of the equity capital in Univision Holdings Inc. (f/k/a Broadcasting Media Partners, Inc.), the controlling company of Univision, the leading media company serving the United States Hispanic market.
About Televisa USA
Televisa USA is a division of Televisa, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of the Mexican media and telecommunications corporation Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. the largest and most dynamic producer and distributor of Spanish-language content in the world. Televisa USA develops, finances, coproduces and distributes to the U.S. and international audiences high quality, mainstream English-language programming based on existing formats and original concepts. The division is actively teaming with leading talent, producers, and studios and networks to create scripted and unscripted content across all genres that significantly over index the coveted American-born or English-speaking Latino audiences. Televisa USA also has access to Grupo Televisa’s enormous library, which includes many of the world’s most popular telenovelas, for adaptation in the English language as high quality productions. Current productions in which Televisa USA participates include the drama Devious Maids, a collaboration with ABC Studios and Executive Producer Marc Cherry, on Lifetime; and reality series Douglas Family Gold, produced by WV Enterprises in association with Televisa USA and Lionsgate TV that has Wilmer Valderrama, Jessica Acevedo, Natalie Hawkins and Gabrielle Douglas serving as executive producers.
Mexican Television Writer and Producer Mauricio Katz to Serve as Showrunner
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz has partnered with Televisa USA, a division of the Mexican media company Grupo Televisa, to develop the original series “Maleficio.” The Starz and Televisa USA co-production is based on the popular Mexican production “El Maleficio,” which originally aired in 1983-84 with 320 episodes to become one of the most successful telenovelas of all time.
The new supernatural thriller will center on Don Enrique De Martino, a powerful Mexican businessman who has made a deadly pact with the Devil. Writer and Producer Mauricio Katz (“Niño Santo,” “The Bridge”) will serve as showrunner. Pedro Peirano (No, “Niño Santo”) will serve as executive producer and will co-write the first episode with Katz. Peirano, an award-winning Chilean director, screenwriter, journalist, cartoonist and television producer, wrote the film No, which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Foreign Film in 2013.
“We are pleased to partner with Televisa USA for an adaptation of such an incredibly successful series and bring it to the U.S. audience,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director for Starz. “With Mauricio Katz’s prolific writing guiding the project and Pedro Peirano executive producing, ‘Maleficio’ was a project we knew was worth developing.”
“Starz’ stamp of quality together with Mauricio and Pedro¹s tremendous vision and intimate knowledge of the format will ensure an impactful return of this iconic series,” said Chris Philip, head of production and distribution for Televisa USA. “’Maleficios’ past success means we have a built-in audience of hundreds of millions of fans worldwide.”
Katz is a prolific television writer and producer in Mexico where he co-created and executive produced the hit TV series “Niño Santo” that aired for two seasons. Most recently, Katz served as consulting producer on “The Bridge” for FX. In addition, he wrote the critically acclaimed Mexican film MISS BALA, screened in the official section of the Cannes Film Festival and the prestigious New York Film Festiva. Katz is repped by UTA.
Starz will retain all domestic and Canadian rights and Televisa USA will retain International rights.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
About Grupo Televisa
Televisa is the largest media company in the Spanish-speaking world based on its market capitalization and a major participant in the international entertainment business. It operates four broadcast channels in Mexico City, produces and distributes 25 pay-TV brands for distribution in Mexico and the rest of the world, and exports its programs and formats to the U.S. through Univision Communications Inc. ("Univision") and to other television networks in over 50 countries. Televisa is also an active participant in Mexico's telecommunications industry. It has a majority interest in Sky, a leading direct-to-home satellite television system operating in Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Central America. Televisa also participates in Mexico's telecommunications industry in many regions of the country where it offers video, voice and broadband services. Televisa also has interests in magazine publishing and distribution, radio production and broadcasting, professional sports and live entertainment, feature-film production and distribution, the operation of a horizontal Internet portal and gaming. In the United States, Televisa has equity and warrants which upon its exercise and subject to any necessary approval from the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC") in the United States, would represent approximately 36% on a fully diluted, as-converted basis of the equity capital in Univision Holdings Inc. (f/k/a Broadcasting Media Partners, Inc.), the controlling company of Univision, the leading media company serving the United States Hispanic market.
About Televisa USA
Televisa USA is a division of Televisa, S.A. de C.V., a subsidiary of the Mexican media and telecommunications corporation Grupo Televisa, S.A.B. the largest and most dynamic producer and distributor of Spanish-language content in the world. Televisa USA develops, finances, coproduces and distributes to the U.S. and international audiences high quality, mainstream English-language programming based on existing formats and original concepts. The division is actively teaming with leading talent, producers, and studios and networks to create scripted and unscripted content across all genres that significantly over index the coveted American-born or English-speaking Latino audiences. Televisa USA also has access to Grupo Televisa’s enormous library, which includes many of the world’s most popular telenovelas, for adaptation in the English language as high quality productions. Current productions in which Televisa USA participates include the drama Devious Maids, a collaboration with ABC Studios and Executive Producer Marc Cherry, on Lifetime; and reality series Douglas Family Gold, produced by WV Enterprises in association with Televisa USA and Lionsgate TV that has Wilmer Valderrama, Jessica Acevedo, Natalie Hawkins and Gabrielle Douglas serving as executive producers.
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STARZ DEVELOPING LATINO SERIES “POUR VIDA” SET IN EAST LA
Big Beach TV to Produce Series with Marc Turtletaub, Dan Pasternack and Erin Keating Serving as Executive Producers
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz is developing “Pour Vida,” a series inspired by a short story by Richard Villegas, Jr. (“I [Heart] Babylon,” “La Música Romántica”). Big Beach TV will produce with Marc Turtletaub (Little Miss Sunshine, Sunshine Cleaning, Safety Not Guaranteed), Dan Pasternack (“Portlandia,” “Starved,” “Beggars and Choosers”) and Erin Keating (“Portlandia,” “Bunk,” “The Spoils of Babylon”) executive producing.
“Pour Vida” follows twin sisters, Brook and Lyn Hernandez, who inherit an East LA building from their recently deceased aunt who raised them. They open Pour Vida, a new wine and tapas bar, in a building in Boyle Heights which houses a failing lesbian bar below and a village-like collection of Eastside denizens in three units above. Pour Vida is the sisters’ attempt to put the "gente" in the "gentefication" of the historic barrio. They find themselves the only thing protecting the tenants from displacement, their aunt’s legacy from erasure, and their neighborhood from the Great White Bridge about to bring jalapeño chicken hummus wraps to the ‘hood. Brook and Lyn discover upon returning to East LA that they didn’t just inherit a building - they inherited a pueblo. For Life.
“Marc Turtletaub, Dan Pasternack and Erin Keating, along with our partners at Big Beach TV, brought to us a story that has yet to be told on television,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz. “There is heart and humor in capturing the first-generation experience.”
“Big Beach TV exists to champion fresh voices, tell great stories and celebrate unique characters,” Pasternack said. “We feel fortunate to have all of these elements in great abundance thanks to Richard Villegas Jr., and we couldn’t ask for a better home than STARZ.”
Richard Villegas Jr. was born in East LA and earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in American Literature and Chicano Studies from UCLA and a Master’s in Professional Writing from USC. Villegas lives in East LA a few blocks away from where his great-grandparents and grandparents rest in peace.
Starz retains all domestic and international multiplatform rights including television, home entertainment, and digital.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
Big Beach TV to Produce Series with Marc Turtletaub, Dan Pasternack and Erin Keating Serving as Executive Producers
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz is developing “Pour Vida,” a series inspired by a short story by Richard Villegas, Jr. (“I [Heart] Babylon,” “La Música Romántica”). Big Beach TV will produce with Marc Turtletaub (Little Miss Sunshine, Sunshine Cleaning, Safety Not Guaranteed), Dan Pasternack (“Portlandia,” “Starved,” “Beggars and Choosers”) and Erin Keating (“Portlandia,” “Bunk,” “The Spoils of Babylon”) executive producing.
“Pour Vida” follows twin sisters, Brook and Lyn Hernandez, who inherit an East LA building from their recently deceased aunt who raised them. They open Pour Vida, a new wine and tapas bar, in a building in Boyle Heights which houses a failing lesbian bar below and a village-like collection of Eastside denizens in three units above. Pour Vida is the sisters’ attempt to put the "gente" in the "gentefication" of the historic barrio. They find themselves the only thing protecting the tenants from displacement, their aunt’s legacy from erasure, and their neighborhood from the Great White Bridge about to bring jalapeño chicken hummus wraps to the ‘hood. Brook and Lyn discover upon returning to East LA that they didn’t just inherit a building - they inherited a pueblo. For Life.
“Marc Turtletaub, Dan Pasternack and Erin Keating, along with our partners at Big Beach TV, brought to us a story that has yet to be told on television,” said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Starz. “There is heart and humor in capturing the first-generation experience.”
“Big Beach TV exists to champion fresh voices, tell great stories and celebrate unique characters,” Pasternack said. “We feel fortunate to have all of these elements in great abundance thanks to Richard Villegas Jr., and we couldn’t ask for a better home than STARZ.”
Richard Villegas Jr. was born in East LA and earned a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in American Literature and Chicano Studies from UCLA and a Master’s in Professional Writing from USC. Villegas lives in East LA a few blocks away from where his great-grandparents and grandparents rest in peace.
Starz retains all domestic and international multiplatform rights including television, home entertainment, and digital.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
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Supernatural Series to be Executive Produced by Alejandro Brugues and Haxan Films’ Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz’ diverse programming strategy continues with the development of “Santeria.” Cuban writer and director Alejandro Brugues (“From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,” Juan of the Dead) and Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series”) will executive produce and direct with Gregg Hale (Exists, Lovely Molly, The Blair Witch Project) serving as executive producer for the supernatural series.
Cuba, its doors finally open to the world. But a secret war brews there, a clash between opposing sects of Santeria, the ancient religion born on the island. Two undercover agents investigating a bizarre murder are pulled into this supernatural conflict and discover it’s more dangerous and far-reaching than anything they could have imagined.
Alejandro Brugues, best known for the zombie comedy Juan of the Dead, has received many film festival awards from all over the world, including a Spanish Goya Award and Fangoria’s Best Foreign Film. He contributed a segment to the horror anthology “The ABCs of Death 2” and has directed an episode of “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.”
Gregg Hale and Eduardo Sanchez have been creative partners in film, television and advertising for more than 19 years through their company Haxan Films. They are best known for creating horror films including The Blair Witch Project, Altered, Lovely Molly and their involvement in the VHS anthology. Their films have played festivals worldwide including Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, and South by Southwest (SXSW), garnering multiple awards including an Independent Spirit Award and the Prix de la Jeunesse.
Starz will retain all domestic and international multiplatform rights including television, home entertainment, and digital.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
Pasadena, Calif. – January 8, 2016 – Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today’s Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at The Langham Huntington in Pasadena, Calif. that Starz’ diverse programming strategy continues with the development of “Santeria.” Cuban writer and director Alejandro Brugues (“From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series,” Juan of the Dead) and Eduardo Sanchez (The Blair Witch Project, “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series”) will executive produce and direct with Gregg Hale (Exists, Lovely Molly, The Blair Witch Project) serving as executive producer for the supernatural series.
Cuba, its doors finally open to the world. But a secret war brews there, a clash between opposing sects of Santeria, the ancient religion born on the island. Two undercover agents investigating a bizarre murder are pulled into this supernatural conflict and discover it’s more dangerous and far-reaching than anything they could have imagined.
Alejandro Brugues, best known for the zombie comedy Juan of the Dead, has received many film festival awards from all over the world, including a Spanish Goya Award and Fangoria’s Best Foreign Film. He contributed a segment to the horror anthology “The ABCs of Death 2” and has directed an episode of “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.”
Gregg Hale and Eduardo Sanchez have been creative partners in film, television and advertising for more than 19 years through their company Haxan Films. They are best known for creating horror films including The Blair Witch Project, Altered, Lovely Molly and their involvement in the VHS anthology. Their films have played festivals worldwide including Sundance, Cannes, Toronto, and South by Southwest (SXSW), garnering multiple awards including an Independent Spirit Award and the Prix de la Jeunesse.
Starz will retain all domestic and international multiplatform rights including television, home entertainment, and digital.
About Starz
Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks) and global content distribution (Starz Distribution), www.starz.com.
Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of September 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 55.8 million subscribers, including 23.3 million at STARZ, and 32.5 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX®, air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.
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