Anchor Bay Entertainment Inks Original Programming Distribution Deal With AMC

After a tremendously successful partnership distributing AMC's wildly popular series, "The Walking Dead", Anchor Bay Entertainment announced today a new deal with AMC's parent company, AMC Networks, for home entertainment distribution across the company's networks including AMC, IFC and Sundance Channel. The home entertainment distribution output agreement includes future scripted series to be produced in-house by AMC, IFC and Sundance Channel. This includes the highly-anticipated Sundance Channel scripted series, "Rectify," and AMC's recently greenlit original drama series, "Low Winter Sun." The deal covers all US and Canadian distribution on DVD, Blu-ray and certain transactional digital distribution rights.

"AMC's 'The Walking Dead' has quickly become our best-selling TV-on-DVD title to-date," commented Bill Clark, President of Anchor Bay Entertainment. "AMC has been an exceptional partner over the last few years and we look forward to expanding our relationship to distribute future scripted drama series from AMC, IFC and Sundance Channel."

"Anchor Bay has been a terrific partner on 'The Walking Dead' and we look forward to continuing to work with them to extend the life of the series from AMC Networks' into the DVD and transactional digital marketplace," said Ed Carroll, Chief Operating Officer for AMC Networks.

AMC's "Low Winter Sun" and Sundance Channel's "Rectify" will be the first two releases under the new deal. "Low Winter Sun" is a co-production between Endemol Studios and AMC Studios. Chris Mundy("Criminal Minds," "Cold Case")serves as writer, executive producer and showrunner on the project, which stars Mark Strong ("Tinker, Tailor, Soldier Spy" "Zero Dark Thirty") and co-stars Lennie James ("The Walking Dead," "Jericho," "Snatch"). Season one consists of ten, one-hour episodes. The highly-anticipated original Sundance Channel series "Rectify" debuts Monday, April 22, 2013. The six-episode hour-long series was created and written by Academy Award winner Ray McKinnon (The Accountant, That Evening Sun, The Blind Side) and executive produced by Mark Johnson and Melissa Bernstein, the team behind the critically-acclaimed AMC series, "Breaking Bad."

"Low Winter Sun"
A contemporary story of murder, deception, Revenge and corruption in a world where the line between Cops and criminals is blurred, "Low Winter Sun" begins with the murder of a cop by a fellow Detroit detective. Seemingly the perfect crime, in reality the murder activates forces that forever alter the detective's life, and pull him into the heart of the Detroit underworld. The series is based on the 2006 award-winning British two-part mini-series of the same name written by Simon Donaldand produced by Tiger Aspect Productions (an Endemol Company).

"Rectify"
When Daniel Holden (Aden Young) is released after nearly 20 years of complete isolation on death row, he returns as an outsider to his family, to his community, and to the times. Somehow, he survived the mental and emotional strain of his imprisonment, but now the walls have suddenly come crumbling down and Daniel is set free in a world he no longer understands. He's an outsider, lost in a once familiar world, struggling to navigate his new found freedom. Combined with two decades of technological and social changes to his small town and the larger world, everything he encounters is a puzzle. Daniel's unexpected presence not only throws his family into disarray, it ripples out to all the people connected to his case the prosecutor who rode the notoriety to become a state senator, the sheriff who pushed the boundaries of the investigation, and the entire town of Paulie, GA, that blamed him for killing one of their own. Like a deadly spark, Daniel's release reignites the mystery, the power plays, and the questionable justice that condemned him.

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.

About Anchor Bay Entertainment
Anchor Bay Entertainment is a leading home entertainment company. Anchor Bay acquires and distributes feature films, original television programming including Starz Original series, children's entertainment, anime (Manga Entertainment), fitness (Anchor Bay Fitness), sports, and other filmed entertainment on DVD and Blu-ray formats. The company has long term distribution agreements in place for select programming with AMC Networks, RADiUS, and The Weinstein Company. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, CA, Anchor Bay Entertainment has offices in Troy, MI, as well as Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia. Anchor Bay Entertainment (www.anchorbayentertainment.com) is a Starz (STRZA, STRZB) business, www.starz.com.

Photo by Gene Page/AMC

SOURCE Anchor Bay Entertainment