Starz to Air Tandem’s The Pillars of the Earth

MUNICH/LOS ANGELES: Starz Entertainment has snapped up the U.S. rights for Tandem Communications’ eight-hour TV adaptation of Ken Follett’s novel The Pillars of the Earth.

Produced by Tandem, MUSE Entertainment and Ridley and Tony Scott’s Scott Free Films, the series will air on Starz as a summer event in July. The series will air under the Starz Originals banner and kicks off with a special two-hour premiere, followed by six hour-long episodes. The Pillars of the Earth was shot on location in Hungary and Austria and is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes, Into the West).

"I’m a believer in the power of event television, so The Pillars of the Earth is precisely the kind of programming I want to showcase on Starz," said Starz’s president and CEO, Chris Albrecht, who joined the company in January. "With a strong cast, stunning direction, a compelling story based on an international best-selling book and a terrific team of producers, The Pillars of the Earth is set to be one of the must-watch programs this summer."

Tandem’s partner and managing director, Rola Bauer, commented, "We are thrilled to have found such an ardent supporter of this wonderful project in Chris Albrecht and his team at Starz. Chris has always created and appreciated quality content and understands how best to market it. We could not have found a better home."

"Ken Follett’s storytelling artistry presents a richness and brilliance we dream about when searching for outstanding properties for event television," added Ridley Scott of Scott Free. "The eight-hour television adaptation of his monumental novel The Pillars of the Earth is everything we could have hoped for and we’re extremely happy that Starz will be presenting Pillars to a U.S. audience."

"I am delighted with the series of The Pillars of the Earth—script, cast, direction, everything—and thrilled that it is going to be shown on Starz," Follett said.