STARZ EMBARKS ON AN EARLY RENEWAL FOR SECOND SEASON ORDER OF THE ORIGINAL SERIES "BLACK SAILS"

Production Slated to Resume in November 2013 on the Ten-Episode Second Season of the Pirate Adventure Tale

Executive Produced by Michael Bay

Beverly Hills, Calif., July 26, 2013 - Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced that the network has picked up a second season of the original series, "Black Sails" from executive producer Michael Bay in advance of its first season premiere. The announcement comes on the heels of the exclusive fan screening at San Diego Comic-Con several months in advance of its on-air premiere in January, 2014. The eight-episode first season of the authentic pirate adventure centers on the tales of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his men, and takes place twenty years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson's classic "Treasure Island."

"Black Sails" is executive produced by Michael Bay (Transformers, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor) and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form, producers on The Purge and currently in production on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The series was created by showrunner and executive producer Jonathan Steinberg (creator "Jericho," "Human Target") and Season Two executive producer Robert Levine ("Touch").

The production is set to begin on the 10-episode second season at Cape Town Studios in Cape Town, South Africa in November.

"Michael Bay, Jon Steinberg and their teams delivered a spectacular first season of 'Black Sails,' and we are incredibly proud of everyone's work," said Chris Albrecht, CEO of STARZ. "Based on the strong fan response to the preview screening at last week's Comicon, we felt an early order for a second season would allow the writers, cast and crew enough time and space to continue crafting such unique and epic storytelling."

Creator and Executive Producer Jon Steinberg said "We are thrilled to be receiving such an exciting vote of confidence from everyone at Starz and for the opportunity to carry the 'Black Sails' adventure into Season Two without missing a beat. We couldn't ask for better partners in bringing our pirate world to life."

"We've had a fantastic experience working with Chris Albrecht and Jon Steinberg," said executive producer Michael Bay. "Brad, Andrew and I look forward to continuing our partnership with Starz on future episodes for this extraordinary show."

Flint, the most brilliant and most feared pirate captain of his day, takes on a fast-talking young addition to his crew who goes by the name John Silver (Luke Arnold). Threatened with extinction on all sides, they fight for the survival of New Providence Island, the most notorious criminal haven of its day - a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers, a place defined by both its enlightened ideals and its stunning brutality.

Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) and Luke Arnold (Broken Hill, "McLeod's Daughters") are joined by Zach McGowan ("Shameless") as rival Captain Charles Vane; Toby Schmitz ("The Pacific") as Jack Rackham, Vane's right hand; Hannah New (Maleficent) as Eleanor Guthrie, a determined young woman who runs the smuggling operation on New Providence; Hakeem Kae-Kazim ("Strike Back," Hotel Rwanda) as Mr. Scott, Eleanor's retainer and right hand, Jessica Parker Kennedy ("The Secret Circle," 50/50, In Time) as Max, a tortured young prostitute who sees the dark side of New Providence; Mark Ryan (Transformers, The Prestige, Charlie's Angels, "Robin of Sherwood") as Gates, Captain Flint's Quartermaster and most senior member of his crew, Clara Paget (The Fast and The Furious 6) as the beautiful but cold-blooded Anne Bonny and Tom Hopper ("Merlin") as Billy Bones, boatswain of Flint's ship.

About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ(R) and ENCORE(R) pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2013, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.7 million subscribers, including 21.6 million at STARZ, and 35.1 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ(R) and ENCORE(R), along with Starz Networks' third network MOVIEPLEX(R), air more than 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution's home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

About Platinum Dunes

Platinum Dunes was established in 2001 by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller with the goal of creating opportunities for first-time directors to make commercial, high-concept movies on modest budgets for a global audience. Recently, the company has broadened its horizons to include veteran directors and larger-scale projects. They are currently in post-production on Vigilandia for Universal Pictures and in pre-production on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Paramount Pictures.

Platinum Dunes' first production was the 2009 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by Marcus Nispel. The movie won the Teen Choice Award for Best Thriller and was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards, and grossed more than $110 million worldwide. The second Platinum Dunes project, the 2005 adaptation of The Amityville Horror, directed by Andrew Douglas, also earned over $110 million worldwide.

Two more films quickly followed: the prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, directed by Jonathan Liebesman and a re-conceptualization of the 1986 thriller, The Hitcher. It was during this collaboration that Platinum Dunes signed a first-look production deal with Rogue Pictures.

In 2009 Platinum Dunes pumped out two more successful films; The Unborn, which has grossed $78 million worldwide to date and Friday the 13th, which set the record for the biggest horror opening of all time with $40,570,000 million. Most recently, Platinum Dunes produced their highest grossing film, A Nightmare on elm Street, which made over $118 million worldwide.