ABC FAMILY ENTERS A WORLD WHERE ALL LEGENDS ARE TRUE WITH THE SAGA SERIES PICK UP OF "SHADOWHUNTERS"

Series Is Based on the Beloved New York Times Bestselling Book Series The Mortal Instruments by Author Cassandra Clare

Burbank, CA (March 30, 2015) - ABC Family has picked up its first scripted saga-to-series, "Shadowhunters," from The Mortal Instruments franchise, announced today by Tom Ascheim, President, ABC Family and Karey Burke, Executive Vice President, Programming and Development, ABC Family. The series will go into production this May in Toronto.

Based on the bestselling young adult fantasy book series The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare, "Shadowhunters" follows 18-year-old Clary Fray, who finds out on her birthday that she is not who she thinks she is but rather comes from a long line of Shadowhunters - human-angel hybrids who hunt down demons. When her mother Jocelyn is kidnapped, Clary is thrown into the world of demon hunting with mysterious Shadowhunter Jace and her best friend, Simon. Now living among faeries, warlocks, vampires and werewolves, Clary begins a journey of self-discovery as she learns more about her past and what her future may hold.

"'Shadowhunters' is a big epic saga that will resonate with viewers who come to ABC Family for the 'Harry Potter,' 'Hunger Games,' and 'Twilight' franchises," said Ascheim. "A New York Times bestseller for 122-consecutive weeks, with over 35 million copies in print worldwide, 'Shadowhunters' is the perfect story to share with our audience."

Burke continued, "Clary is a strong, dynamic and captivating character that our audience will immediately identify with. They will want her to succeed and will root for her on her journey to become who she was always meant to be. The series has a passionate fan base and an expansive universe that can sustain multiple seasons to come."

"I'm excited to see ABC Family bring the world of the Shadowhunters to life. As a huge fan of long-form television drama, I can't wait to see the story unfold and for the fans to have more time with the world and the characters," added book author, Cassandra Clare.

"Shadowhunters" is produced by Constantin Film, and Ed Decter serves as executive producer and showrunner.

Cast to be announced at a later date.

Part of the Disney/ABC Television Group, ABC Family is distributed in over 97 million homes. ABC Family features programming reflecting today's families, entertaining and connecting with adults through relatable programming about today's relationships - told with a mix of diversity, passion, humor and heart. ABC Family's programming is a combination of network-defining original series and original movies, quality acquired series and blockbuster theatricals. For 2014, ABC Family has launched the "WATCH ABC Family" authenticated service which allows viewers with participating TV subscription services access to 24/7 live viewing of the network, as well as continued on demand access to such popular series at home and on the go via a wide array of devices. ABC Family is also the destination for annual Holiday events with "13 Nights of Halloween" and "25 Days of Christmas."