HISTORY Ventures into Scripted Fare

NEW YORK: HISTORY has ordered its first scripted drama series, Vikings, from Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM) Studios.

The network has given the show a full-season commitment. Vikings will chronicle the world of the mighty Norsemen, who raided, traded and explored during medieval times. The series will premiere in 2013. Filming will happen in Ireland and Northern Europe.

Canada’s Shaw Media will serve as a broadcast partner, airing the series on its History Television service. World 2000 and Take 5 Productions will co-produce, while MGM will distribute the title internationally, outside of Ireland and Canada.

“This is an amazing crossroads for HISTORY embarking on our first scripted series,” said Nancy Dubuc, the president and general manager of HISTORY. “People think they know about the Vikings—we see references to them all the time in our popular culture from TV commercials to football teams—but the reality is so much more fascinating and complex, more vivid, visceral and powerful than popular legend. We will explore the mysteries of the Vikings—the adventures they took and the people who led them. And we will start to understand a past that is very much part of our collective DNA today.”