Space Original Canadian Drama Series BITTEN Acquired by Syfy for U.S. Broadcast

− Leading independent studio Entertainment One (eOne) has licensed the U.S. broadcast rights −
− Produced by No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment and Entertainment One −
− Original Drama series to premiere on Space in 2014 −

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TORONTO / LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17, 2013 /CNW/ - Space, in association with Entertainment One (eOne), is proud to announce that its upcoming original drama series BITTEN has been licensed for U.S. broadcast to Syfy. The deal was conducted by leading independent studio eOne. The first season of the 13-episode, one-hour series premieres in 2014.

Based on the New York Times best-selling Women of the Otherworld novels by Canadian author Kelley Armstrong, BITTEN is an emotionally charged thriller starring Laura Vandervoort (Smallville, Ted) as Elena Michaels, the world's only female werewolf, as well as Greg Bryk (A History Of Violence, Rookie Blue) as Pack Alpha Jeremy Danvers, Greyston Holt (Alcatraz, Durham County) as Clayton Danvers, and Paul Greene (The Client List, Wicked Wicked Games) as Philip McAdams.

"BITTEN is a fantastic blend of supernatural action, intense thrills, smouldering drama and a tortured love story that artfully adapts characters beloved for more than a decade by millions of readers around the world," said Chris Regina, Senior Vice President, Programming, Syfy. "It's an excellent complement to our roster of programming and we cannot wait to share Elena, her Pack and their stories with the Syfy audience."

"Our partners at No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment, and eOne have brought to life a sexy and suspenseful new series and we are delighted Syfy has found it equally as compelling for their audience," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. "With a strong female lead at its core, we know audiences on both sides of the border will be rabid followers of BITTEN."

Commented Carrie Stein, eOne Television, EVP, Global Production, "The eOne team responded enthusiastically to BITTEN because it's a strong genre piece with a unique premise - the first female werewolf in a pack of men!  It's a sexy, action-packed drama with a love triangle at the center - all very appealing to the global audience!"

Space brought BITTEN into development with No Equal Entertainment and Hoodwink Entertainment in early 2011, before being ordered to series in August of 2012. eOne joined as production partners before the series went to camera in spring of 2013. BITTEN was shot over a five month period in-studio and on location in Toronto, Hamilton, and Cambridge, ON. Production wrapped in August 2013. Brad Turner (HOMELAND), John Fawcett (ORPHAN BLACK), T.J. Scott (SPARTACUS), and Andy Mikita (STARGATE UNIVERSE) are among the many notable directors on board for the first season. Writers on the series include Wil Zmak (Motive), Will Pascoe (Orphan Black), Denis McGrath (Continuum), Karen Hill (THE L.A. COMPLEX), and Daegan Fryklind (MOTIVE) and Grant Rosenberg (THE LISTENER), who are also Executive Producers and Co-Showrunners for BITTEN.

As someone who spent much of her childhood in the foster system, Elena (Vandervoort) had always craved a "normal" life and thought she finally found it with her boyfriend Clayton Danvers (Holt). But the secret life he kept from her ended up changing her own life forever. With one bite, Elena was forced to survive within the Pack as a werewolf. Still craving the normal life she lost, Elena takes refuge in Toronto working as a photographer and dating a new man. Hiding her werewolf existence from her ad-exec boyfriend Phillip McAdams (Greene), Elena is pulled back into her former life when bodies turn up in the backwoods of Stonehaven, the rural mansion that has been home to the Pack for generations. Caught between two worlds and two loves, Elena returns to Stonehaven out of duty, offering her support to Clay's surrogate father and leader of the Pack Jeremy Danvers (Bryk). But once back in the fold, Elena realizes that when push comes to shove she'll stop at nothing to defend and protect her Pack.

BITTEN is produced by No Equal Entertainment, Hoodwink Entertainment, and eOne in association with Space and Bell Media, with the participation of Rogers Cable Network Fund and Cogeco Program Development Fund and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Executive producers include J.B. Sugar for No Equal Entertainment, Patrick Banister and John Barbisan for Hoodwink Entertainment and Tecca Crosby, John Morayniss, and Margaret O'Brien for eOne. Daegan Fryklind and Grant Rosenberg are Executive Producers and Co-Showrunners.  Many of the notable directors this season include, Brad Turner (HOMELAND), John Fawcett (ORPHAN BLACK), T.J. Scott (SPARTACUS), and Andy Mikita (STARGATE UNIVERSE).  eOne will introduce BITTEN for international buyers at the upcoming MIPCOM Television Market, Cannes, France in October 2013.

Rebecca DiPasquale and Tom Hastings are Production Executives, Drama, Bell Media. Trish Williams is Director of Drama, Independent Production, Bell Media. Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Independent Production, Bell Media. Catherine MacLeod is Senior Vice-President, Specialty Channels, Bell Media. Rick Brace is President, Specialty Channels and CTV Production. Phil King is President, CTV Programming and Sports.

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About Bell Media Independent Production
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit CTV series include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, THE LISTENER, MOTIVE, the #1 new Canadian scripted series of the 2012/13 season, and THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, the record-breaking, Canadian-produced complementary version of the hit international series. CTV is also home to relationship comedy SATISFACTION, and premiering in the 2013/14 season are drama series PLAYED, multi-cam office comedy SPUN OUT, and hit international format MASTERCHEF CANADA. Among the scripted series on Bell Media pay and specialty channels are the two-time Emmy^®-nominated hit DEGRASSI, the recently renewed ORPHAN BLACK, CSA-winning CALL ME FITZ, and upcoming dramas BITTEN, SENSITIVE SKIN, and 19-2. Bell Media specialty channels are also home to reality series such as BRAVE NEW GIRL, game shows MATCH GAME and POP QUIZ, and factual series HIGHWAY THRU HELL and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others. So far in 2013, Bell Media has ordered 24 original Canadian series and put 67 projects into development.

About Space
Space is home to phenomenal programming including imaginative dramas, epic movies, engaging reality series, and the daily entertainment talk show INNERSPACE, the source for all-things genre - all in high definition (HD). Also home to Original Series ORPHAN BLACK, and BITTEN, Space content is always available at Space.ca, and on Facebook, @SpaceChannel, and other social media platforms. Space is a division of Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company.

About Entertainment One
The company's comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the US, the UK, Ireland, Spain, Australia, New Zealand, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, South Africa and South Korea.  Through established Entertainment and Distribution divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming and merchandising and licensing. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 35,000 film and television titles, 2,800 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks. http://www.entertainmentonegroup.com/

eOne develops, produces, acquires, and distributes programming across all genres including Hell on Wheels on AMC; Rookie Blue on ABC and Shaw Media; Discovery Channel's first-ever scripted mini-series Klondike, co-produced by Discovery, eOne, and Nomadic Pictures in association with Scott Free Television; Haven on Syfy, Shaw Media and Universal Networks International; Rogue, DIRECTV's first original scripted series starring Thandie Newton; Saving Hope on CTV; and CALL ME FITZ on DIRECTV and HBO Canada. The group also handles distribution of AMC's The Walking Dead.

Through strong relationships with broadcasters and content providers, Entertainment One Television International has successfully sold eOne's original and third-party productions to over 500 broadcasters in 150 countries, including key US networks and international pay TV channels.

About Syfy
Syfy is a media destination for imagination-based entertainment. With year round acclaimed original series, events, blockbuster movies, classic science fiction and fantasy programming, a dynamic Web site (www.Syfy.com), and a portfolio of adjacent business (Syfy Ventures), Syfy is a passport to limitless possibilities. Originally launched in 1992 as SCI FI Channel, and currently in more than 98 million homes, Syfy is a network of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.  NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation. (Syfy. Imagine greater.)

SOURCE: SPACE