BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.,
Sept. 27, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Starz
Entertainment has ordered a 10-episode second season of the
much-anticipated original drama series, "Boss," prior to the series
premiere on October 21 at
10PM ET/PT on STARZ. Produced by
Lionsgate Television and created by Farhad
Safinia (Apocalypto), the drama stars Emmy and Golden
Globe-winner and television icon Kelsey
Grammer headlining his first dramatic series. The
premiere episode also marks the television directorial debut of
acclaimed filmmaker Gus Van
Sant. Over the course of its eight-episode first season,
"Boss" follows Chicago
Mayor Tom Kane (Grammer), who holds
sway over just about everything in his city. When faced with a
terrible secret that threatens to topple his power, his true
character is revealed: it's not power that drives Tom Kane, but his fear of losing it.
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Production on the second season of "Boss" is expected to
begin early 2012.
"The first time we read Farhad's script, we knew we had to make
'Boss,'" said Starz President and
Chief Executive Officer, Chris
Albrecht. "With each episode, the story grew richer, and the
cast continued to turn in breakthrough performances. Led by Kelsey
and Farhad, this creative team is giving us dramatic storytelling
at its very best. For our viewers, we felt it important to start
working on the next season as soon as possible."
"This early vote of confidence from our partners at Starz is
extremely gratifying and reflects the tremendous work of all those
involved with 'Boss' on both sides of the camera," said
Kevin Beggs, president of Lionsgate
Television Group. "Kelsey's dramatic turn in this series is a
powerful and radical departure from his previous television roles
and we can't wait for viewers to be drawn into his fascinating
world."
Creator, writer and executive producer Farhad Safinia says, "A huge thank you to our
partners for their support. This is unprecedented and exciting, and
I am looking forward to another season."
According to star and executive producer, Kelsey Grammer, "It's nice to get this vote of
confidence. Good thinking, I love this show."
"Kelsey Grammer is riveting,"
says Jonathan Storm of the
Philadelphia Inquirer, and RedEye Chicago's Curt Wagner comments that, "Grammer delivers a
bravura performance." "Boss" gets an "A-" from the Boston
Globe's Matthew Gilbert, noting "the
script is tight and ambitious."
Joining Grammer in the main cast this season are Connie Nielsen (Gladiator, The Devil's
Advocate) as his wife Meredith, a formidable Chicago power in her own right;
Jeff Hephner ("The O.C.,"
"Hellcats," "Easy Money") as ambitious young politician
Alex Zajac; Hannah Ware (Cop Out) as the Kanes'
estranged daughter Emma; Kathleen
Robertson ("Girls Club," "Beverly Hills, 90210," Hollywoodland)
as Mayor Kane's supremely organized aide Kitty O'Neil; Martin Donovan ("Weeds," Unthinkable) as
Kane's savvy senior advisor who helps the Mayor achieve his agenda;
and Troy Garity
(Sunshine, Bandits) as enterprising journalist
Sam Miller, who is zeroing in on
Kane.
"Boss" was created by Farhad
Safinia (Apocalypto), who is also an executive
producer on the series, along with Grammer, Van Sant, Brian
Sher, Stella Bulochnikov, Richard
Levine and Lyn Greene.
Lionsgate Television is producing "Boss" in association with
Grammer's Grammnet NH Productions, Roya Productions and Old Friends
Productions.
Grammer, who earned a Tony Award nomination in 2010 for his
starring role in the Broadway production of "La Cage Aux Folles,"
is a multiple Emmy® and Golden Globe® Award winner for his
portrayal of Frasier Crane in the
long-running TV series "Cheers" and "Frasier." His dramatic feature
film credits include X-Men: The Last Stand and 15
Minutes.
Van Sant's credits include
Milk, Good Will Hunting (both of which earned him Oscar®
nominations for Best Director), Finding Forrester and To
Die For. He also played himself in an episode of the television
series "Entourage."
About Starz Entertainment
Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original
programming entertainment service provider operating in
the United States. The company
offers 16 premium channels including the flagship STARZ® and
ENCORE® brands with approximately 19 million and 32.9 million
subscribers respectively. Starz Entertainment airs in total more
than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV
channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in
providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services
for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands. Starz Entertainment
(www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, which is a
controlled subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation and is
attributed to the Liberty Starz tracking stock group (NASDAQ:
LSTZA).
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) is a leading global entertainment company
with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production
and distribution, television programming and syndication, home
entertainment, family entertainment, digital distribution and new
channel platforms. The Company has built a strong television
presence in production of prime time cable and broadcast network
series, distribution and syndication of programming through
Debmar-Mercury and an array of channel assets. Lionsgate currently
has 15 shows on more than 10 networks spanning its prime time
production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such
critically-acclaimed hits as "Mad Men," "Weeds," and "Nurse Jackie"
along with the popular comedy "Blue Mountain State" and the
upcoming "Boss," as well as the syndication successes "Tyler Perry's House Of Payne," its spinoff "Meet
The Browns," "The Wendy Williams Show," "Are We There Yet?" and the
upcoming "Tyler Perry's For Better
or Worse." Its feature film business has generated more than half a
billion dollars at the North American box office in the past year,
fueled by such hits as The Expendables, Lincoln Lawyer, Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family,
The Last Exorcism, Kick Ass and the critically-acclaimed
Precious, which won two Academy Awards®. The Company's home
entertainment business has grown to more than 7% market share and
is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD revenue conversion rate.
Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of
approximately 13,000 motion picture and television titles that is
an important source of recurring revenue and serves as the
foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The
Lionsgate brand remains synonymous with original, daring, quality
entertainment in markets around the world.
Contacts
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Theano Apostolou
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Eric Becker
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Leah Krantzler
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Starz
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Starz
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The Lippin Group (for
Lionsgate)
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424.204.4052
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720.852.4065
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323.965.1990
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theano@starz.com
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eric.becker@starz.com
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lkrantzler@lippingroup.com
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SOURCE Starz Entertainment