Starz Acquires Rights To "The White Queen" Original Scripted Drama Series For U.S. And Global Audiences

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Philippa Gregory's series of three international and New York Times best selling novels, "The Cousins War," are the basis of the next addition to the growing lineup of STARZ Original series.  Set against the backdrop of England's Wars of the Roses, "The White Queen," a 10-episode series, will be an adaptation of Gregory's vivid historical novels "The White Queen," "The Red Queen" and "The Kingmaker's Daughter."

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"Phillipa Gregory's novels have become runaway best sellers with passionate fans the world over, making this a project ripe for reimagining," said Carmi Zlotnik, Managing Director of Original Programming, for Starz, LLC.  "The period of England's Wars of the Roses makes for a sensational historical backdrop as a time fraught with violence, mystery and intrigue.  We are excited to be working with an incredibly talented team, both in front and behind the camera, that is taking on such an ambitious project and bringing this riveting story to life."

STARZ has secured all U.S. domestic and worldwide multiplatform distribution rights to "The White Queen" from ALL3Media International in a deal brokered by Managing Director Louise Pedersen on behalf of sister company producer, the award-winning Company Pictures.  Starz retains all global rights, with the exception of television rights in the UK, where the series will air on BBC One, and some TV/home video rights in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

STARZ has retained Colin Callender to serve as Executive Producer for the series.  As part of a larger two-year agreement through his company, Playground, he will serve in a similar capacity on the second season of the STARZ Original series "Magic City."

Chris Albrecht, CEO of Starz, LLC added "Carmi and I have worked with Colin for many years, and we are excited to have such a world-class movie and television visionary lending his talents to our STARZ series."

About "The White Queen"

"The White Queen" is the thrilling story of the women caught up in the ongoing conflict for the throne – they are some of the most ruthless players in history and will stop at nothing to support their own causes and those of the ones they love. 

It is a stunningly rich tale of love and loss, seduction and deception, betrayal and murder, vibrantly woven through the stories of three different yet equally driven women, in their quest for power as they manipulate behind the scenes of history – Elizabeth Woodville, Margaret Beaufort and Anne Neville.

The year is 1464 and England has been at war for nine years battling over who is the rightful King of England – it is a war between two sides of the same family, The House of York and The House of Lancaster.

The House of York's young and devilishly handsome Edward IV (MAX IRONS - Red Riding Hood) is crowned King of England with the help of the master manipulator Lord Warwick "The Kingmaker" (JAMES FRAIN - True Blood, The Tudors). But when Edward falls in love and secretly marries a beautiful young widow, the commoner Elizabeth Woodville, introducing the exciting newcomer, REBECCA FERGUSON, Warwick's plan for control over the English throne comes crashing down around him. Frustrated by the new Queen's influence he will stop at nothing to maintain his grip on the King.

The captivating and beautiful Elizabeth Woodville marries for the love of her King, with the help of her mother Jacquetta (Academy & Tony award nominee JANET MCTEER) a self proclaimed sorceress. Elizabeth's most fierce adversary is the staunchly loyal Lancastrian Margaret Beaufort (AMANDA HALE – "The Crimson Petal & The White") – a damaged and highly religious woman who would willingly lay down her life to see her young son Henry Tudor take the throne. And then there is Anne Neville (introducing FAYE MARSAY), Lord Warwick The Kingmaker's daughter - a pawn in her father's battle for control; who finds her strength and ambition when she takes control of her destiny and marries the King's younger brother Richard Duke of York (ANEURIN BERNARD - Ironclad, Spring Awakening).

The cast also includes: DAVID OAKES (George Duke of Clarence), JULIET AUBREY (Countess of Warwick), ELEANOR TOMLINSON (Isabel Neville), FRANCES TOMELTY (Lady Beauchamp), MICHAEL MALONEY (Henry Stafford), BEN LAMB (Anthony Rivers), HUGH MITCHELL (Richard Welles), SIMON GINTY (John Rivers), EVE PONSENBY (Mary Woodville) and ROBERT PUGH (Baron Rivers).

"The White Queen" is made by Company Pictures ("Generation Kill," "Shameless," Skins," "The Village," "The Devil's Whore," "Elizabeth l," "Anna Karenina," "The Life and Death of Peter Sellers") and adapted by acclaimed writer Emma Frost ("Consuming Passions," "Shameless"). The series is produced by Gina Cronk ("New Tricks, The Palace") and directed by James Kent ("Inside Men," "Marchlands"). Executive Producers are: John Griffin, George Faber, Charles Pattinson for Company Pictures, Philippa Gregory, Eurydice Gysel for Czar Television, Polly Hill for the BBC and Colin Callender for Playground. 

"The White Queen" will film on location in Bruges, Belgium and will air on STARZ in 2013.

About Starz Entertainment

Starz Entertainment, LLC, is a premium movie and original programming entertainment service provider operating in the United States. The company offers 17 premium channels including the flagship STARZ^® and ENCORE^® brands with approximately 20.7 million and 34.2 million subscribers respectively.  Starz Entertainment airs in total more than 1,000 movies and original series every month across its pay TV channels. Starz Entertainment is recognized as a pay TV leader in providing HD, On Demand, HD On Demand and online advanced services for its STARZ, ENCORE and MOVIEPLEX brands.  Starz Entertainment (www.starz.com) is an operating unit of Starz, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Liberty Media Corporation (NASDAQ: LMCA).

About ALL3MEDIA International

ALL3MEDIA International is one of the UK's leading independent television programming distributors, offering quality programming to broadcasters and media platforms around the world. In 2009 we were awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise in recognition of our growth.  For the last two years we have won the top slot in our industry's Peer Poll (Broadcast Magazine), and our shows regularly feature in Government statistics as leading exports - for example, Midsomer Murders has been the biggest selling drama out of the UK for over five years.

SOURCE Starz Entertainment, LLC