WGN America Acquires for “Prime Crime” Slate

WGN America has licensed the U.S. rights for three crime series, including 100 Code, for its 2018 slate.

Developed by Academy Award winner Bobby Moresco (Crash, Million Dollar Baby), 100 Code stars Dominic Monaghan (Lost, Lord of the Rings trilogy) as New York Detective Tommy Conley and the late Michael Nyqvist (John Wick, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) as the by-the-book Swedish detective Mikael Eklund. The show is distributed worldwide by Red Arrow International.

WGN America also licensed Shoot the Messenger, starring Elyse Levesque (Orphan Black), Lyriq Bent (She’s Gotta Have It, The Book of Negroes), Lucas Bryant (Haven) and Alex Kingston (Doctor Who, ER). The eight-episode gritty political-crime thriller centers on the complex relationships between crime reporters and the police.

The network landed U.S. television rights to season one of Pure, starring Ryan Robbins (Warcraft, Apollo 18), Alex Paxton-Beesley (The Strain), A.J. Buckley (CSI: NY) and Rosie Perez (Search Party, White Men Can’t Jump). Inspired by true events, the six-episode series goes inside a closed, secretive subculture through the eyes of a conflicted, good-hearted man trying to protect his family and preserve his faith.

The series join the network’s stable of crime-focused programming that also features Blue Bloods, Elementary, Person of Interest, Bones, Law & Order and Cops and will roll out beginning in the first quarter of 2018 as part of WGN America’s “prime crime” lineup.

“WGN America continues to deliver one of the best crime lineups in television,” said Gavin Harvey, the president of WGN America. “These four new original series build upon our strong slate of compelling programming that offers nonstop mystery, thrills and suspense for the growing number of fans of the crime genre.”