LOS ANGELES – September 25, 2013 – FOX International Channels (FIC) has picked up the exclusive pay-TV rights to the second season of critically acclaimed new drama series The Bridge in 125 countries worldwide including FX in Australia. This follows today’s second season order by FX and Shine America.
FIC, who also serves as co-financing partner on the series, launched The Bridge in tandem with FX’s domestic premiere earlier this summer as part of a weeklong streak of international launches. A synced, integrated global marketing campaign drove over 4.5 million viewers across FIC’s metered pay TV markets, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Finland, Italy, Portugal, Poland, Spain, Australia, Singapore and Malaysia to tune-in to the series’ bow abroad. The Bridge has since become a solid ratings’ driver for FIC’s entertainment channel brands, including FOX and FX, which FIC manages worldwide, ex US.
“We are thrilled to have another season of The Bridge.” said Sharon Tal Yguado, FIC’s EVP of Scripted Programming and Original Development. “The creators of the show have an exciting plan for season two which we can’t wait to share with the world.”
The Bridge marks FIC’s latest investment in a rapidly expanding slate of original programming to bow globally. The drama follows the worldwide simultaneous premiere model pioneered by FIC with season one of The Walking Dead, and replicated since with key properties.
Starring Academy Award® nominee Demian Bichir and Diane Kruger, The Bridge is a present-day crime thriller exploring the tensions on the US-Mexico border. When an American judge known for her anti-immigration views is found dead on the bridge connecting El Paso and Juarez, Sonya Cross (Kruger) from El Paso PD must work with her Mexican counterpart from Chihuahua State Police, Marco Ruiz (Bichir), to catch a serial killer operating on both sides of the border. The case quickly pulls them into a string of murders on the border, a scene already consumed by illegal immigration; drug trafficking, violence and prostitution.
The Bridge is currently on FX, Thursday’s at 3.30pm Express Play and 8.30pm AEST Primetime only on Foxtel.
About FOX International Channels
FOX International Channels (FIC) is 21st Century FOX’s international multi-media business. We develop, produce and distribute 300+ wholly- and majority-owned entertainment, sports, lifestyle, factual and movie channels in 48 languages across Latin America, Europe, Asia and Africa. FIC’s core channel brands include FOX, FOX Sports, FOX Life and National Geographic Channel. FIC’s movie channels include FOX Movies, FOX Movies Premium, Star Chinese Movies and Moviecity. These networks and their related mobile, non-linear and high-definition extensions, reach over 1.6 billion cumulative households worldwide. FIC is dedicated to delivering high quality US content to its global viewers. We acquire, develop, produce and co-produce scripted and non-scripted programming for our linear and digital platforms including the Golden Globes nominated hit series The Walking Dead, The Bridge and Da Vinci's Demons. In the past five years FIC pioneered a global release strategy and is the first and only international TV company to release TV series in 125 countries at the same time as the US. In addition FIC owns and operates two production studios that produce hundreds of local programming hours for its wholly owned channels and third parties.
Media contact: Lori Killesteyn | T: 02 8668 2987 | M: 0404 881 687 | E: lori.killesteyn@fox.com