Starz Entertainment has acquired US TV rights to Tandem Communications' eight-hour television adaptation of author Ken Follett's bestselling novel of the Middle Ages, "The Pillars of the Earth".
Starz will air the series, produced by Ridley and Tony Scott's Scott Free Films as a summer event.
The $40 million series is directed by three-time DGA award-winner Sergio Mimica-Gezzan ("Heroes," "Into the West") shot on location in Hungary and Austria with a cast including Ian McShane ("Sexy Beast"), Rufus Sewell ("A Knight's Tale"), Matthew Macfadyen ("Pride and Prejudice"), Eddie Redmayne ("The Good Shepherd"), Hayley Atwell ("The Duchess"), Sarah Parish ("Merlin"), Canadian Donald Sutherland ("The Italian Job"), Alison Pill ("Milk") and Canadian Gordon Pinsent ("Away From Her").
"The Pillars of the Earth" is the first major programming deal made by Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht since joining the company in January. Starz plans to air the series in July, under the 'Starz Originals' banner, launching a two-hour premiere, followed by six one-hour episodes.
"I'm a believer in the power of event television, so 'The Pillars of the Earth' is precisely the kind of programming I want to showcase on Starz," Albrecht says.
"Ken Follett's storytelling artistry presents a richness and brilliance we dream about when searching for outstanding properties for event television," said Ridley Scott for Scott Free.
"...'The Pillars of the Earth' is a sweeping epic of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty, a sensuous, spirited story set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles in 12th Century England. Ken Follett's book, first published in 1989, has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and been published in more than 30 languages. The 60th selection in Oprah Winfrey's Book Club, the books sold upwards of 1.4 million copies in the U.S. the day after it was featured on her show in 2007..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Pillars Of The Earth"...
Starz will air the series, produced by Ridley and Tony Scott's Scott Free Films as a summer event.
The $40 million series is directed by three-time DGA award-winner Sergio Mimica-Gezzan ("Heroes," "Into the West") shot on location in Hungary and Austria with a cast including Ian McShane ("Sexy Beast"), Rufus Sewell ("A Knight's Tale"), Matthew Macfadyen ("Pride and Prejudice"), Eddie Redmayne ("The Good Shepherd"), Hayley Atwell ("The Duchess"), Sarah Parish ("Merlin"), Canadian Donald Sutherland ("The Italian Job"), Alison Pill ("Milk") and Canadian Gordon Pinsent ("Away From Her")."The Pillars of the Earth" is the first major programming deal made by Starz, LLC, President and CEO Chris Albrecht since joining the company in January. Starz plans to air the series in July, under the 'Starz Originals' banner, launching a two-hour premiere, followed by six one-hour episodes.
"I'm a believer in the power of event television, so 'The Pillars of the Earth' is precisely the kind of programming I want to showcase on Starz," Albrecht says.
"Ken Follett's storytelling artistry presents a richness and brilliance we dream about when searching for outstanding properties for event television," said Ridley Scott for Scott Free.
"...'The Pillars of the Earth' is a sweeping epic of good and evil, treachery and intrigue, violence and beauty, a sensuous, spirited story set against a backdrop of war, religious strife and power struggles in 12th Century England. Ken Follett's book, first published in 1989, has sold more than 14 million copies worldwide and been published in more than 30 languages. The 60th selection in Oprah Winfrey's Book Club, the books sold upwards of 1.4 million copies in the U.S. the day after it was featured on her show in 2007..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Pillars Of The Earth"...
