Showtime Exposes a Second SLEEPER CELL
Golden Globe(R)-Nominated Mini-Series Starring Michael Ealy and Oded Fehr
Returns as a New Eight-Hour Television Event
Stark Drama About America's Ongoing Struggle in the War on Terror to Start
Production This Summer in Los Angeles
LOS ANGELES, April 4 -- Showtime Networks has ordered a new,
eight-hour television event based upon last year's Golden Golden(R)-nominated
miniseries, SLEEPER CELL, it was announced today by Robert Greenblatt,
President of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc. Michael Ealy
("Barbershop," "Their Eyes Were Watching God") and Oded Fehr ("Resident Evil:
Apocalypse," "The Mummy") re-team for the frighteningly realistic drama, set
to begin production in Los Angeles this summer. Creators Ethan Reiff & Cyrus
Voris will continue to serve as executive producers.
The controversial and unconventional drama delves into the harsh
inner-workings of a Los Angeles-based Islamic terrorist cell headed by a
charismatic and fanatical extremist (Fehr) and an Muslim undercover FBI agent
(Ealy) who infiltrates it. Last year's mini-series featured a powerful and
engrossing two-hour finale that will set the stage for the new SLEEPER CELL,
which will continue to combine timely, meticulously researched storylines and
complex characters to create an entertaining and thought-provoking television
event.
"SLEEPER CELL became an instant signature show for us and has all the
hallmarks of great premium cable," said Greenblatt. "It's relevant, fearless
and unlike anything else on television. Unfortunately terrorism is a part of
our daily lives and this show is one of the few things in our pop culture to
grapple with this subject matter in a realistic way."
SLEEPER CELL premiered last December and became one of the most critically
acclaimed mini-series of the year, receiving a Golden Globe(R)-nomination for
Best Mini-Series as well as being named one of the AFI's Ten Best Television
Programs of 2005. The New York Times hailed the ground-breaking mini-series
as "Better than 24," and "Unlike any other program that has been produced for
American television."
Showtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS
Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME(R),
THE MOVIE CHANNEL(TM) and FLIX(R), as well as the multiplex channels
SHOWTIME(R) TOO(TM), SHOWTIME(R) SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME(R), SHOWTIME
BEYOND(R), SHOWTIME NEXT(R), SHOWTIME WOMEN(R), SHOWTIME FAMILYZONE(R) and TMC
XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD(R), THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD(TM), SHOWTIME ON
DEMAND(TM) and THE MOVIE CHANNEL ON DEMAND(TM). SNI is also an owner and
manager of SUNDANCE CHANNEL, a venture of NBC Universal, Robert Redford and
SNI. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI
markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to
subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME(R) PPV. Additionally, the
advertiser-supported television network SHOWTIME is available in Turkey
through a joint venture with UK-based Zone Vision.
SOURCE Showtime Networks Inc.
Web Site: http://www.SHO.com
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