National Geographic Channel Announces Nov. 4 Airdate For Harvey Weinstein Film "SEAL TEAM SIX: THE RAID ON OSAMA BIN LADEN"

WASHINGTON, Oct. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Just a year and a half after President Obama ordered the raid that ended the longest manhunt in American history and took down al-Qaeda's notorious leader, Americans can now see for the first time in a full-length feature film how it all went down in SEAL TEAM SIX: THE RAID ON OSAMA BIN LADEN.

Directed by John Stockwell, the film will exclusively world premiere on the National Geographic Channel (NGC) on Sunday, November 4. This follows the discussion between NGC President Howard T. Owens and The Weinstein Company (TWC) Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein about the insight the film is sure to evoke in all Americans about what was an extremely pivotal moment in American history. 

Produced for a theatrical release by the Academy Award ®-winning producer of THE HURT LOCKER Nicolas Chartier, the film received a preemptive bid for release on NGC. The film, distributed by TWC, marks NGC's first broadcast of a feature film inspired by real-life events.

Twenty-four hours after the November 4 world premiere on the National Geographic Channel, the film will be available for viewing by Netflix members in the United States as part of an unprecedented multi-platform release.

"National Geographic Channel prides itself on giving our viewers exclusive access to truly ground-breaking moments from the past, present and future," said David Lyle, CEO National Geographic Channels. "Harvey's film is a perfect match for what people expect from our network — content that is socially relevant, factually based and entertaining as hell."

"We all know now the ultimate outcome of the President's decision to green light the mission," said Stockwell. "But what was fascinating to me were all the potentially disastrous outcomes of the decision to give the go ahead to the raid that the movie highlights. It hopefully gets inside the challenges of making a decision that could have derailed a presidency."

"This is a story people have been waiting to witness for themselves, and we feel the combined force of the National Geographic Channel and Netflix will ensure that everyone has the chance at a glimpse inside the heroic efforts of that courageous team of SEALs," said Chartier.

"I think many of us, myself included, have our own ideas of how everything unfolded that night," said Weinstein. "This portrayal of the events that took place that night is moving to say the very least. I anticipate audiences will be as captivated as I was from the beginning to the end, and I'm extremely proud as an American citizen to play a role in making sure this stunning portrayal of very recent American history is available in as many homes as possible."

"This amazing film is destined to have a major impact on our viewers, who will see our channel's scope widen as we host the world premiere of our first scripted project," added Owens. "Harvey Weinstein, our partner and the film world's most creative and successful visionary, understands audiences like no one else, and this joint effort will provide viewers with the first detailed, character-driven record of the War on Terror's most crucial event, and our era's defining moment." 

"We are excited to bring to Netflix members a great action picture that is timely and relevant so quickly after its world premiere," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix Chief Content Officer.

When the rumored whereabouts of Osama bin Laden are revealed, the CIA readies a team of seasoned U.S. Navy SEALs for the mission of a lifetime. Despite inconclusive evidence that bin Laden is inside the compound, and ignoring the possible ramifications of an unannounced attack on Pakistani soil, the Pentagon orders the attack. The SEAL Team bands together to complete their mission of justice.

In a riveting final showdown, the Navy SEALs storm the compound and kill America's most hated enemy. From The Weinstein Company and John Stockwell, the director of INTO THE BLUE, TURISTAS and CRAZY/BEAUTIFUL, the film stars Cam Gigandet, Anson Mount, Freddy Rodriquez, Xzibit, Kathleen Robertson, Eddie Kay Thomas and Kenneth Miller, with Robert Knepper and William Fichtner.

The events portrayed in the film were vetted by a team of experts including a recently retired Navy SEAL, a top CIA operative and one of the most renowned bin Laden historians. While some aspects of the characterizations have been dramatized for creative reasons, the core story is an accurate portrayal of an event that ended the longest manhunt in American history.

SEAL TEAM SIX: THE RAID ON OSAMA BIN LADEN, premiering on Sunday, November 4 on NGC, marks the network's continued expansion of its programming vision, including the recently announced Tom Hanks narration of Killing Lincoln, the Scott Free Production of Bill O'Reilly's best-selling book, which premieres on the network early next year.

National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks.  The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission.  Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD.  In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled.  The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 84 million U.S. homes.  Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 440 million homes in 171 countries and 38 languages.  For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

SOURCE National Geographic Channels