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WGN AMERICA ORDERS "TEN COMMANDMENTS" SCRIPTED EVENT SERIES FROM THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
10 Filmmakers, Each to Direct a Single Commandment;
Gus Van Sant, Lee Daniels, Jim Sheridan, Wes Craven and Michael Cera On Board
Academy Award-Winning Bruce Cohen and Bob Weinstein to Produce
Los Angeles (January 12, 2014) - WGN America has ordered the 10-part scripted event series "Ten
Commandments" from The Weinstein Company (TWC), it was announced today by Matt Cherniss, President and
General Manager, WGN America and Tribune Studios. Over 10 nights, 10 different visionary filmmakers will take on
a single Commandment with their modern interpretation of that Commandment. Five of the 10 filmmakers
committed to direct episodes are Gus Van Sant, Lee Daniels, Jim Sheridan, Wes Craven and Michael Cera. Academy
Award(R) winning producer Bruce Cohen ("American Beauty," "Silver Linings Playbook") and Bob Weinstein will
produce.
"We are thrilled and honored to have filmmakers of this caliber as a part of this ambitious project, and thank Bruce
Cohen and The Weinstein Company for bringing this diverse group of directors together," said Cherniss. "The
unique structure of the 'Ten Commandments' project and the stature of directors involved reflects the creative and
bold approach to quality programming that we aspire to as we move towards making WGN America a destination
network. We look forward to seeing what each of these talented filmmakers has in store for the audience."
"Each of these directors is acclaimed for their own unique brand of style and genre, so it's clear that we can expect
ten wildly different episodes from this series," commented TWC Co-Chairman Bob Weinstein.
"With each helmer choosing his or her own creative team, it will be exciting to see their visions come together," said
Cohen.
"I'm extremely excited to become part of this project. Working with Bob and Harvey has been a huge part of my
career for more than a decade, and this project absolutely fascinates me," said Craven. "The chance to put my own
personal spin in a contemporary manner on these ancient commands is priceless, as is the chance to work alongside
so many other directors whose work has inspired me over the years."
"The opportunity to express my own creative vision of a Commandment is an exciting challenge I was immediately
drawn to," said Daniels. "I'm excited to be working with Bruce Cohen and the Weinstein Company again!"
"I have great respect for most of the Ten Commandments, and I look forward to keeping within the rules as best I
can," said Sheridan.
Michael Cera ("Scott Pilgrim vs. The World," "Juno"), best known for his acting, has been nominated for several
Critics Choice, SAG, MTV, and BAFTA Awards, among others, and was a writer/producer on "Arrested
Development;" Wes Craven ("Scream," "A Nightmare on Elm Street") won the Lifetime Achievement Award at the
NYC Horror Film Festival last year; Lee Daniels received two Oscar nominations for "Precious" and his cast was
nominated for a SAG Ensemble Award for "Lee Daniels' The Butler;" Jim Sheridan ("In the Name of the Father," "In
America") is a six-time Oscar nominee and Gus Van Sant is the twice Oscar-nominated director of "Milk" and "Good
Will Hunting."
ABOUT WGN AMERICA
WGN America, the flagship network of Tribune Broadcasting Company, is nationally distributed via cable, satellite
and telco with entertainment programming consisting of the original series "Salem," premiering in Spring 2014, and
"Manhattan," premiering in Summer 2014, first-run programs, blockbuster movies and live sports. WGN America is
currently available in 75 million homes. For program schedules or additional information please visit
www.wgnamerica.com
ABOUT THE WEINSTEIN COMPANY
The Weinstein Company (TWC) is a multimedia production and distribution company launched in October
2005 by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films in 1979. TWC also encompasses
Dimension Films, the genre label founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, which has released such popular
franchises as Scream, Spy Kids and Scary Movie. TWC also boasts an active television production division led by
former Miramax Films Co-President of Production Meryl Poster. TWC garnered nine Emmy nominations in
2013. The Weinstein Company Television produces the reality powerhouse Project Runway, now in its 12th
season on Lifetime; with its spin-off series Project Accessory and the critically-acclaimed Project Runway All
Stars, hosted by Alyssa Milano in its upcoming third season. TWC recently launched Million Dollar Shoppers
and completed Supermarket Superstar hosted by Stacy Keibler for Lifetime. TWC is currently in production on
Mob Wives Season 4 for VH1; Big Ang Season 2 for VH1; and Welcome To Myrtle Manor Season 2 for TLC.
Upcoming TWC series premieres include Rodeo Girls for A&E. Announced scripted projects in development
include John Fusco's historical action-adventure epic Marco Polo and an adaptation of Daniel Stashower's
bestselling Civil War-era spy thriller The Hour Of Peril. TWC also developed Amy Sherman Palladino's The
Nanny Diaries for ABC and produced the award-winning HBO series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency,
directed by Anthony Minghella.
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