The Sundance Channel Gets in on The Zombie Craze!

Zombies and Vampires have become all the rage.  And it helps when good story telling supports the genre.  And like you, I tend to pile in on many of the offerings that pop up on The CW or FX or AMC or what have you.  But the last place I'd expect a zombie TV series to pop up is on the Sundance Channel.  But none-the-less, so it has.

The Sundance channel acquired the rights to an eight-part French zombie series titled The Returned.

We finished watching the short season of Rectify and that was most excellent, so I'm leaning towards a recommendation of checking it out.

It will premiere on October 31st, so here's the press release with details if you're interested...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sundance Channel announced today that it has acquired US broadcast rights to the supernatural drama “The Returned” from Music Box Films.  The eight-part French series distributed by Zodiak Rights was created by Fabrice Gobert and is based on the feature film "Les Revenants" by Robin Campillo.  It will premiere on Sundance Channel on Halloween, Thursday, October 31^st at 9PM ET/PT. It will air every Thursday night at 9PM.

The critically received series was a smash hit for France’s Canal+ and the UK’s Channel 4. The New York Times recently profiled outstanding foreign drama series and pronounced it “fresh and unexpected.” The Independent wrote “’The Returned’…is actually one of the greatest, creepiest, most compelling shows brought to…TV screens in 2013,” and The Daily Telegraph commented, “Probably the most stylish thing you’ll see on TV this year.

“We decided to take zombies to a new and utterly original level— we made them French!” stated Sarah Barnett, President of Sundance Channel. “‘The Returned’ is smart entertainment that shocks and entertains at every turn. We think our audience will love how this series grounds the supernatural in deeply human emotions.”

In an idyllic French mountain town, a seemingly random collection of people find themselves in a state of confusion as they attempt to return to their homes. What they don’t know yet is that they have been dead for several years, and no one is expecting them back. As they struggle to reintegrate with their families and past lovers, buried secrets emerge and new mysteries develop as they grapple with a miraculous and sinister new reality.  But it seems they are not the only ones to have returned from the dead. Their arrival coincides with a series of gruesome murders which bear a chilling resemblance to the work of a serial killer from the past. The series was produced by Caroline Benjo, Jimmy Desmarais and Carole Scotta from Haut et Court.

“‘The Returned’ epitomizes the very best of the crop of outstanding international television productions finding its way onto US screens,” says William Schopf, President of Music Box Films. “We couldn’t be more excited about working with our partners at the Sundance Channel to introduce this extraordinary series to American audiences.”

“We are absolutely thrilled to bring this phenomenal series to the North American audience”, says Marc Nowak, General Manager Zodiak Rights (Paris). “This is a sign the U.S. TV market is opening up to French drama and that the independent production and distribution companies need to continue to innovate and create original fiction to succeed internationally.”

“We are proud that Sundance Channel chose ‘The Returned’ for their audience,” says Caroline Benjo, Haut et Court producer. “Sundance Channel represents a landmark in independent programming, airing bold and innovative TV projects from all over the world. We couldn’t have dreamt being in better hands.”

Following on the heels of Emmy^®-nominated “Top of the Lake” and critically acclaimed original scripted series “Rectify,” “The Returned” marks a continued commitment by Sundance Channel to offer daring original entertainment. This series precedes the debut of the network’s second fully owned original scripted series, “The Red Road,” in 2014. The channel will also premiere a second season of the critically-acclaimed “Rectify,” as well as the original mini-series “The Honourable Woman,” starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and co-produced with BBC Worldwide.

 

About Sundance ChannelSundance Channel is the destination for What’s Next, Now.  Showcasing both today’s creative icons and the emerging talent of tomorrow, Sundance Channel tells bold stories with a fresh point of view. In addition to award winning films, Sundance Channel is home to daring new original programming. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., Sundance Channel provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford’s mission to celebrate creativity.

About AMC Networks Inc. Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.

--