or


[03/16/16 - 10:18 AM]
Ben Affleck and Matt Damon Team with Adaptive Studios, Pilgrim Media Group and go90(TM) for High-Concept, Interactive, Mobile-First Reality Competition Series "The Runner"
The project has been 16 years in the making: originally sold to ABC in 2000 and it was again sold to Yahoo in 2006 where it remained in development.

[via press release from Pilgrim Media Group]

BEN AFFLECK AND MATT DAMON TEAM WITH ADAPTIVE STUDIOS, PILGRIM MEDIA GROUP AND GO90(TM) FOR HIGH-CONCEPT, INTERACTIVE, MOBILE-FIRST REALITY COMPETITION SERIES "THE RUNNER"

Smartphone Technology and Ubiquitous Social Media Engagement Propel Unscripted Adventure-Competition Show

(March 16, 2016) - LOS ANGELES and NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Academy Award(R) winners Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are teaming with Adaptive Studios (Project Greenlight) and Pilgrim Media Group (Zombie House Flipping) to launch "The Runner" - the first original, high-concept, broadcast-quality competition series to become available on mobile-first social-entertainment platform, go90.

The announcement was made today by Affleck, Damon, Adaptive Studios founding partners Marc Joubert and Perrin Chiles, and Pilgrim Media Group CEO Craig Piligian.

Affleck and Damon executive produce through their company Pearl Street Films. Adaptive Studios' Joubert and Chiles serve as executive producers alongside Pilgrim Media Group's Craig Piligian and Mike Nichols. The series was packaged by WME.

"The Runner" is a groundbreaking new reality competition series in which one individual attempts to make it across the United States unnoticed over the course of 30 days, while the entire country endeavors to locate and capture him or her using all available technology. At stake is a million dollars - not only for the Runner, but also for the chase teams, or "Chasers," who are part of the show format as well. In addition, go90 users who provide tips, sightings and evidence of the Runner's location are also eligible to win big money. The series is scheduled to launch this summer.

Said Joubert, "This is an excellent format for a brand new platform. 'The Runner' is our way of meeting a Millennial audience where they live - on their smartphones and on social media."

Added Piligian, "This show is exactly the kind of series Pilgrim is known for. 'The Runner' integrates real high-stakes competition, live elements, a need for speed, and the ability to fight and persevere. It's incredibly exciting to produce something this complex, and we're thrilled to be in business with Matt and Ben, Adaptive, and our partners at go90 to do it."

"We've been busy bringing a lot of original content to go90, but to deliver on an original with this level of interactivity for users excites us," said Shawn Strickland,Head of Product Innovation at Verizon. "Go90 is inherently social and producing content that supports those elements of the platform creates a pairing for something unique."

Casting for "The Runner" is currently underway. For more information visit www.therunnercasting.com.

About "The Runner"

On a quest to make it from coast to coast over a 30-day period, the chosen "Runner" receives clues that determine his or her itinerary, including specific mandated checkpoints. At the same time, the game includes "Chasers" - eight two-person teams equipped with mobile devices that also receive clues - who try to track the Runner's moves and swoop in to make a capture before the next checkpoint is reached. In an epic twist, all of America can play along and provide tips and information that can help capture the Runner for big cash rewards. Real-time video updates are provided on go90 throughout the game, with multiple updates released each day. People at home can play along in real time regardless of their proximity to the Runner.

About Adaptive Studios

Adaptive Studios is a pioneering media studio focused on the acquisition and development of intellectual property across all platforms. Sourcing material through partners including studios, talent agencies, management companies and production houses, as well as in-house, Adaptive creates and produces film, television, books and graphic novels, and digital entertainment - focusing on whichever platform best fits the story. Adaptive produced the highly acclaimed Project Greenlight for HBO and recently launched Project Greenlight Digital Studios, through which it is actively "greenlighting" an expanding slate of new digital series with emerging filmmakers. The company also announced plans to bring its latest novel, DC TRIP, written by comedian and author Sara Benincasa, to the big screen alongside Van Toffler's new studio, Gunpowder & Sky, and with Bona Fide Productions. Adaptive Books, the publishing imprint of Adaptive Studios, has released 10 titles to date and will publish an average of 10 books and graphic novels annually. For more information visitwww.adaptivestudios.com.

About Pearl Street Films

Pearl Street Films is a Los Angeles-based film and television production company. Founded by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, PSF provides filmmakers with a creative home for making television and film across budgets and genres. Recently, Pearl Street produced season four of its Emmy(R) nominated PROJECT GREENLIGHT for HBO, the filmmaking documentary series Affleck and Damon originated in 2001. Pearl Street Films has just completed production on the feature film LIVE BY NIGHT. Affleck adapted the Dennis Lehane novel, in which he also starred and directed.

About Pilgrim Media Group

Craig Piligian's Pilgrim Media Group, a Lionsgate company, produces a wide variety of unscripted and scripted programming for television, including Fast N' Loud, Street Outlaws and Misfit Garage for Discovery; My Big Fat Fabulous Life for TLC; NAACP Award-winner Welcome to Sweetie Pie's for OWN; Ghost Brothers for Destination America; Ghost Hunters for Syfy; Bring It! and Step It Up! for Lifetime; David Tutera's CELEBrations for WE tv; Wicked Tuna and Wicked Tuna: Outer Banks for National Geographic Channel; and Missing in Alaska for History. Pilgrim also produces FYI talk show series Kocktails with Khloé, hosted by Khloé Kardashian, and The Runner, with Executive Producers Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, for go90. In the scripted realm, Pilgrim produces for Freeform the freshman series Recovery Road. The company's original movies for Lifetime include Amanda Knox: Murder On Trial In Italy; Abducted: The Carlina White Story, which earned a 2012 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Writing In A Motion Picture; and the crime thriller Stalkers. For more, check outpilgrimstudios.com.

About go90

go90 is a free, mobile-first, social entertainment platform that makes it easy and fun to discover, enjoy and share great content. Available on iOS and Android, go90 is part of the Verizon Communications family of companies. Built for the next generation, go90 brings together networks, distributors, creators, audiences and brands to deliver great experiences for the next generation. For more, check out go90.com.





  [march 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
  


· RUNNER, THE (ABC)





[05/27/26 - 01:16 PM]
"WWE: Made in America" Special Premieres This Friday, May 29, at 11 P.M. ET on USA Network
As part of USA Network's America 250 celebration, the one-hour special traces the evolution of a regional business into a global powerhouse, examining how the company mirrored the American spirit across five decades.

[05/27/26 - 01:01 PM]
Bravo's "Southern Hospitality" First-Ever Two-Part Reunion Event Begins Wednesday, June 3 at 9 P.M. ET/PT
Republic Garden & Lounge comes to life in New York as host Andy Cohen sits down with the entire cast on an immersive reunion set inspired by King Street and the crew's stomping grounds.

[05/27/26 - 12:31 PM]
Prime Video Unveils New and Returning Canadian Originals at 2026 Amazon Upfront
Prime Video also debuted trailers for "Young Farts Trailer Parts," executive produced by Jacob Tierney and premiering July 17, and "Operation Deception."

[05/27/26 - 12:17 PM]
USA Sports Announces 2026 Schedule for Inaugural Season of New Pac-12 Football Coverage on USA Network
USA Network's 22-game slate features multiple appearances by all eight Pac-12 schools with at least one home game for every team, showcasing each unique gameday experience throughout the Pac-12.

[05/27/26 - 12:16 PM]
FOX Sports Unveils Powerhouse 2026 College Football Schedule
In 2026, FOX Sports is home to 137 college football games across the FOX family of networks - including 89 Big Ten conference games across FOX, FS1 and BTN.

[05/27/26 - 12:02 PM]
2025 National Champion Indiana Hoosiers, Michigan Wolverines, and Iowa State vs. Iowa Headline Early-Season Big Ten Football Schedule Across NBC and Peacock
NBC Sports' Big Ten coverage starts on Saturday, August 29, as the USC Trojans host the San Jose State Spartans at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.

[05/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
Powerhouse Presentations, Ranked Showdowns and Conference Clashes Fuel ESPN's Blockbuster Broadcast Schedule for the 2026-27 College Football Season
More than 1,000 games will be set for ESPN networks with every showdown streaming on the ESPN App.

[05/27/26 - 12:01 PM]
The CW Network Unveils 2026 College Football Schedule
The season kicks off with a Week 0 ACC non-conference game as New Mexico State visits Florida State for a primetime showdown on Saturday, August 29 at 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT.

[05/27/26 - 10:01 AM]
Prime Video Orders Three New Animated Series from GenAI Creators' Fund, Backed by Amazon MGM Studios and AWS
Powering all of this is Project Nara, Amazon MGM Studios' purpose-built AI production platform for cinematic storytelling, built on AWS.

[05/27/26 - 09:01 AM]
Video: Marvel Animation's "X-Men '97" Season 2 - Official Trailer
Time to get the X-Men back to the 90s.

[05/27/26 - 09:01 AM]
"Project Runway" Reveals 22 Designers for Its 22nd Season
Season 22 debuts in the evening on July 9 on Freeform and will stream shortly after on Hulu and Disney+, followed by weekly airings.

[05/27/26 - 09:00 AM]
"The Book of Mormon" Original Cast to Perform at "The 79th Annual Tony Awards" Live Sunday, June 7 on CBS
The entire original cast, including Tony Award nominees Josh Gad, Andrew Rannells and Rory O'Malley and Tony Award winner Nikki M. James, will take the stage to celebrate the show's 15th anniversary on Broadway.

[05/27/26 - 08:31 AM]
Spotify & Netflix Partner with Jay Shetty to Bring "On Purpose" Video to Both Services
Netflix will bring the visual series to its members worldwide, while Spotify will serve as the global sales representative for the show and offer fans the flexibility to seamlessly watch or listen within a single app.

[05/27/26 - 08:06 AM]
Video: BritBox Debuts Teaser Trailer and Announces September 15th Premiere Date for "Agatha Christie's Tommy & Tuppence"
The six-part adaptation of the Agatha Christie novels and short stories stars Antonia Thomas, Josh Dylan, and Imelda Staunton.

[05/27/26 - 08:04 AM]
Modern Greek Noir Thriller "Save Me" Makes U.S. Debut on the Viaplay Streaming Service Beginning Thursday, June 18
The eight-episode crime drama follows a missing-person investigation that soon spirals into the hunt for a serial killer.