Movie Central & The Movie Network Showcase New Originals

BANFF: A number of new original series, mini-series, specials and documentaries have been greenlit for the 2012-13 season by Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central and Astral’s The Movie Network.

The lineup includes a fourth season of Call Me Fitz, produced by Entertainment One, Amaze Film + Television and Big Motion Pictures. A third season of Funny as Hell, produced by Just for Laughs Television, is on the way. There’s also a fourth season of Less Than Kind, from Breakthrough Film & Television and Buffalo Gal Pictures. New shows include The Heretics, a mini-series set in 13th century France, and Rogue, a ten-episode cop drama starring Thandie Newton.

There are also a number of original films and docs on the production slate. This includes Altman, a feature-length theatrical documentary about the life and work of director Robert Altman. An as-yet-untitled David Steinberg documentary paints a portrait of the comedian and director behind such legendary shows as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld and Mad About You. In Studio is a one-hour special that celebrates Canadian filmmaking. The Reelside is a six-part doc series that features some of Canada’s most prominent directors interviewing their actor counterparts. Revolution: Sharkwater 2 follows Rob Stewart on a 15-country expedition trying to start a revolution to save ecosystems. Vincent Goes to Hell: An Alice Cooper Doc Opera is a biopic about Vincent Furnier’s transformation into the celebrity persona Alice Cooper. Water is a new feature spotlight the political, cultural and ecological issues surrounding water.

“With Call Me Fitz, Less Than Kind and Funny as Hell returning, we take great pride in the caliber of these comedic gems that continue to engage and entertain our audience,” said Jocelyn Hamilton, the VP of original programming for kids, comedy and drama at Corus Entertainment. “Showcasing these critically acclaimed series alongside a lineup of exceptional productions with our international partners, Movie Central is providing our viewers access to an unmatched lineup of comedic, dramatic and action-packed series that reflect the best of Canada and abroad.”  
 
“The Movie Network is committed to offering audiences unparalleled premium made-in-Canada programming,” added Aubie Greenberg, the director of original programming and movie services at Astral Television Networks. “Our latest round of original productions further fulfills our goal of balancing auteur-driven comedies and documentaries from Canada’s most original voices with compelling international co-productions sure to have viewers on the edge of their seats.”