or


[07/31/15 - 11:18 AM]
Starz to Develop "Havana Quartet" Starring Antonio Banderas
Based on the popular four-book series by acclaimed Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura, the series follows hard-drinking, romantic Cuban Police Detective Mario Conde (Banderas) who longs to be a writer but settled for a job as a detective.

[via press release from Starz]

STARZ TO DEVELOP "HAVANA QUARTET" STARRING ANTONIO BANDERAS

Entertainment One's Series Based on Cuban Author Leonardo Padura's Detective Novels

Eduardo Machado to Pen Pilot and Executive Produce Series with Antonio Banderas

Beverly Hills, Calif. - July 31, 2015 - Starz Chief Executive Officer Chris Albrecht announced at today's Starz Television Critics Association (TCA) presentation at the Beverly Hilton that Starz is developing Entertainment One Television's (eOne) "Havana Quartet" starring international film star Antonio Banderas (Evita, The Mask of Zorro, The Expendables 3). Celebrated Cuban writer Eduardo Machado (STARZ Original series "Magic City," "Hung") will write the pilot and executive produce with Banderas alongside Peter Nadermann of Nadcon Film, as well as Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny of Sienna Films. eOne will serve as the studio and produce the hour-long drama series, as well as distribute the show worldwide.

Based on the popular four-book series of detective novels "Havana Blue," "Havana Gold," "Havana Red" and "Havana Black" written by acclaimed Cuban novelist Leonardo Padura, "Havana Quartet" follows hard-drinking, romantic Cuban Police Detective Mario Conde (Banderas) who longs to be a writer but settled for a job as a detective.

"Starz continues to see great opportunity in continued programming diversification with many communities and genres," Albrecht said. "Partnering with eOne to develop the drama series 'Havana Quartet' with international star Antonio Banderas will allow us to give viewers a premium show that highlights the decaying beauty of Cuba during its 'Special Period' - a time and place which tourists rarely got to experience."

"'Havana Quartet' is a series that captures both the romance and the underbelly of a country that has struck our collective curiosity and imagination for decades, and it was important for us to create a show that is authentic to Padura's elegant, noir-tinged novels and to Cuba itself. We are delighted to partner with Starz and to have assembled such an exceptional team of talent to bring this special project to life," said Pancho Mansfield, President of Global Scripted Programming, eOne Television.

Starz will retain all network pay TV and SVOD rights to the project. eOne's Carrie Stein, EVP of Global Productions, will oversee the project for the studio along with Becca Tesarfreund, Director of Development.

Banderas, born in Málaga, Spain, made his film debut in 1982 in Laberinto de Pasione (Labyrinth of Passion) and his first American film, The Mambo Kings in 1992. Banderas went on to star in many hit films including Philadelphia, Interview with the Vampire, Desperado, Evita, The Mask of Zorro and most recently, The Expendables 3. In 2004 he joined the highly successful Shrek franchise voicing the adorable sword-fighting cat Puss In Boots, and appeared in each of the following sequels, as well as his own Puss in Boots feature in 2011. He has won numerous awards and nominations for his works in film, including three ALMA awards and three Golden Globe(R) nominations, among many others. He will next be seen starring in The 33 for Warner Bros, and Terrence Malick's Knight of Cups. Banderas is represented by Paradigm and Media Art Management.

Machado is the Head of Playwriting in the Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing at New York University's Tisch School of Arts, and has worked as a writer and producer on both the STARZ Original series "Magic City" and HBO's "Hung." He is the author of more than 40 plays, including "The Floating Island Plays," "Havana is Waiting and Other Plays," and "Worship." Machado also wrote and directed the film Exiles in New York, which screened at numerous film festivals, including the A.F.I. Film Festival and The Santa Barbara Film Festival. He is the recipient of the 2008 Raúl Juliá HOLA Founders Award and the Berrilla Kerr Grant 2001, among others. Machado is currently a member of the Actors Studio and The Ensemble Studio Theater. Machado is represented by CAA, Andrea Simon Entertainment and Morris Yorn.

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 June 30, 2015, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.8 million subscribers, including 23.5 million at STARZ, and 33.3 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 Entertainment One

Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a leading international entertainment company that specializes in the acquisition, production and distribution of film and television content. The company's comprehensive network extends around the globe including Canada, the U.S., the UK, Ireland, Spain, Benelux, France, Germany, Scandinavia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and South Korea. Through established Film and Television divisions, the company provides extensive expertise in film distribution, television and music production, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Its current rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 40,000 film and television titles, 4,500 hours of television programming and 45,000 music tracks.

eOne produces and distributes a diverse slate of award-winning, critically acclaimed programming across all genres, and has a proven track record in delivering successful long running series. Hit original shows from the company include the successful miniseries The Book of Negroes and Klondike, Welcome to Sweden, the half hour comedy series executive produced by siblings Amy and Greg Poehler, Hell on Wheels, Rogue, Nellyville, Mary, Bitten, Rookie Blue, Haven, and Saving Hope, as well as a number of highly successful series coming out of its output relationship with AMC and SundanceTV including The Walking Dead, Halt and Catch Fire, Turn and The Red Road.





  [july 2015]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· HAVANA (STARZ)





[10/31/25 - 02:22 PM]
FOX Sports Hits 14.6 Million Viewers for Game 5 of the World Series
The telecast reached a peak viewership of 16,034,000 viewers on FOX between 10:00-10:15 PM ET.

[10/31/25 - 10:42 AM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Scares Up More Wins - Rising for Historic Sixth Week in a Row
"Dancing with the Stars" is the only fall show to increase its overall audience for six consecutive weeks following its season premiere.

[10/31/25 - 06:31 AM]
ESPN Networks Deliver Record College Football Viewership at the Midway Point of the Season, "College GameDay" Continues on Historic Run
Through nine weeks, ESPN networks are averaging 2.3 million viewers per game, their largest audience since 2009 and an increase of 20 percent year-over-year.

[10/31/25 - 06:30 AM]
NBC Sports and Royal Ascot, One of the World's Most Prestigious Horse Racing Meets, Partner on Multi-Year Media Rights Extension
NBC Sports has been presenting Royal Ascot via linear and digital platforms since 2017.

[10/31/25 - 06:01 AM]
Video: "Frankenstein" - Guillermo del Toro - Final Trailer - Netflix
Oscar winner Guillermo del Toro reimagines Mary Shelley's classic tale of a brilliant scientist and the creature his monstrous ambition brings to life.

[10/30/25 - 10:31 PM]
Family, Food, and Films: Netflix's "Dining with the Kapoors" Arrives November 21
The special is a heartfelt celebration marking 100 years of the legendary Raj Kapoor, and close to a century of the Kapoor family ruling the box office and our hearts - then, now and always.

[10/30/25 - 03:05 PM]
14.8 Million Viewers Tuned in for World Series Game 4 Across FOX, FOX Deportes & FOX Sports Streaming Services
Viewership peaked at 16,695,000 viewers on FOX between 10:00-10:15 PM ET.

[10/30/25 - 03:01 PM]
Debut of NBC Sports' "Coast 2 Coast Tuesday" Delivers NBA's Largest Pre-Christmas Tuesday Audience Since 1996
"Coast 2 Coast Tuesday" - featuring the New York Knicks at Milwaukee Bucks (8 p.m. ET) and LA Clippers at Golden State Warriors (11 p.m. ET) - averaged 3.0 million viewers in primetime across NBC and Peacock.

[10/30/25 - 03:01 PM]
Kate Winslet to Narrate Upcoming Documentary from The King's Foundation and Prime Video - "Finding Harmony: A King's Vision"
The new documentary will tell the story of His Majesty The King's lifelong commitment to the philosophy of Harmony and the environment, urging viewers to protect our planet and create a more sustainable future for the next generation.

[10/30/25 - 11:03 AM]
Bravo's "The Real Housewives of Orange County" Three-Part Reunion Begins Thursday, Nov. 6 at 8 P.M. ET/PT
Host Andy Cohen is joined by Shannon Storms Beador, Heather Dubrow, Tamra Judge, Gina Kirschenheiter, Emily Simpson, Jennifer Pedranti and Katie Ginella to reflect on an emotionally charged season 19 that led to shifting alliances and broken trust within the group.

[10/30/25 - 10:52 AM]
Video: National Geographic Documentary Films Unveils Trailer and Theatrical Release Dates for Award-Winning "The Tale of Silyan"
The award-winning documentary will make its theatrical debut this fall, opening in select U.S. theaters on November 28 and in U.K. cinemas on December 12.

[10/30/25 - 10:33 AM]
FX's "Adults" Renewed for Second Season on Hulu
The comedy follows a group of twenty-somethings in New York trying to be good people, despite being neither "good" nor "people" yet.

[10/30/25 - 10:01 AM]
Hulu's "King of the Hill" Renewed for Seasons 16 and 17
The upcoming 15th season of "King of the Hill" will premiere on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers in the US, and on Disney+ internationally in 2026.

[10/30/25 - 09:30 AM]
Video: Starz Unveils Trailer Full of Sex and Slaughter for "Spartacus: House of Ashur" Premiering December 5
The outrageous new chapter in the world of "Spartacus" debuts with a two-episode premiere on Friday, December 5.

[10/30/25 - 08:06 AM]
ID November Programming Highlights
Look for newcomers "The Rocky Mountain Mortician Murder" and "Who Hired the Hitman?" alongside new seasons of "Body Cam" and "The Murder Tapes."