Ovation TV Secures Season Two of Versailles

MIAMI: Following the success of the first season on the network, Ovation TV has acquired the U.S. premiere rights for the second season of Versailles from Banijay Rights.

The series follows the reign of King Louis XIV, a monarch who would stop at nothing to realize his vision of creating the most beautiful palace in Europe and seizing absolute control of France and his enemies. The first season of Versailles premiered on Ovation TV on October 1, 2016, and was the most-watched telecast for the network to date.

In season two, Louis sees the dream of his grand Versailles palace crumbling before his eyes. Drugs, gambling and alcohol are rampant, as nobles begin to poison each other in order to get closer to the King and climb up the social ladder. The ten-episode second season stars George Blagden (Vikings), Alexander Vlahos (Merlin) and Anna Brewster (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). It is directed by Thomas Vincent (The Tunnel), Mike Barker (Broadchurch) and Louis Choquette (Rumours). A Canal+ Creation Originale, the series is co-produced by Capa Drama, Zodiak Fiction and Incendo. Executive producers on the series include Simon Mirren (Without a Trace, Criminal Minds), David Wolstencroft (Spooks, The Escape Artist), Claude Chelli (Braquo), Jean Bureau (Crusoe), Anne Thomopoulos (Rome) and director Jalil Lespert (Yves Saint Laurent).

“The ratings, audience response and social engagement with this series has been off the charts,” said Scott Woodward, the executive VP of programming and production at Ovation. “Ovation TV’s marketing and promotional ingenuity paid dividends as Versailles built up steam leading up to its debut. We are looking forward to keeping this momentum going with season two this year.”

“We are thrilled that season one of Versailles was a record-breaking hit for Ovation,” commented Andreas Lemos, the VP of sales and acquisitions for North America at Banijay Rights. “Its success really cemented the global appeal of this international juggernaut. We are excited to be working with the Ovation team again and look forward to seeing how audiences react as the story of King Louis VXI and his subjects in the court of Versailles continues to unfold.”