Sky One Takes New J.J. Abrams Drama

LONDON, August 7: In a
deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, Sky One has
scored the linear British TV rights to J.J. Abrams’ new series for FOX, Fringe.

Sky One is slated to
launch the show, from Abrams, Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman—the team
behind the upcoming Star Trek
feature, Mission: Impossible 3
and Alias—this fall. The
show’s story line begins when an international flight lands in Boston with its
passengers and crew having been killed.

David Smyth, the head of
acquisitions at Sky One, said the series “will thrill a new generation of
viewers much like The X-Files
did 15 years ago. Together with Lost, we’re honored to be the home for J.J. Abrams’ shows here in the
U.K.”

Jeffrey R.
Schlesinger, the president of Warner Bros. International Television, added:
“This unique dramatic thriller is a perfect fit for Sky One, which is a great
U.K. home for Fringe,
one of our most highly anticipated television series of the new season. J.J.
Abrams and his partners have created a compelling series that has been eagerly anticipated since its announcement,
and we look forward to working closely with Sky One to make Fringe a hit with their audience.”

—By Mansha Daswani