or


[05/06/16 - 10:58 AM]
Tim Matheson and Cynthia Nixon Set to Star in National Geographic Channel's Two-Hour Scripted Movie "Killing Reagan"
The director will be Rod Lurie, a self-professed political junkie, with a script written by Eric Simonson, an Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, Short Subject.

[via press release from National Geographic Channel]

TIM MATHESON AND CYNTHIA NIXON SET TO STAR IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL'S TWO-HOUR SCRIPTED MOVIE "KILLING REAGAN"

Rod Lurie to Direct With a Script by Eric Simonson

Produced by Scott Free Productions and Bill O'Reilly, Killing Reagan, Based on the Best-Seller, Set to Begin Principal Photography Later This Month for a Fall Premiere

(WASHINGTON, DC - May 6, 2016) National Geographic Channel (NGC) announced today that veteran actor Tim Matheson ("The West Wing," "Burn Notice," "Animal House") will star as the actor turned California governor turned president in the network's forthcoming two-hour scripted movie Killing Reagan, joined by Cynthia Nixon ("Sex and the City," Tony Award for "Rabbit Hole") as first lady Nancy Reagan. The director will be Rod Lurie ("The Contender"), a self-professed political junkie, with a script written by Eric Simonson, an Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, Short Subject.

"With this fourth installment of the highly successful Killing franchise, we are, along with our partners, Bill O'Reilly and Scott Free Productions, going to use the assassination attempt as a crucible to tell the fascinating and compelling story of Ronald Reagan and his lasting impact on the global stage," said Carolyn Bernstein, NGC executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production. "We're delighted to have Tim and Cynthia on board to bring this story to life during an unpredictable and historic election year."

"Even nearly 30 years after his presidency, and more than 10 years after his death, Ronald Reagan's mark on American politics and the global geopolitical landscape, through both his actions and his policies, still reverberates today," said Bill O'Reilly. "There is much that can be learned by looking back at that riveting period in history."

Tim Matheson is no stranger to the political arena on screen, having played Vice President John Hoynes in the Emmy-winning series "The West Wing." With an acting career that began in his teens and has spanned more than 50 years, he is perhaps most beloved for his role as Otter in the comedy classic "Animal House." This is actually Matheson's second time portraying the Gipper on film, having played the role in the 2011 unproduced pilot "The Talker," in which he played the ghost of the former president.

Tony-, Grammy-, Emmy- and SAG Award-winning actress Cynthia Nixon is best known for her role as Miranda Hobbs in "Sex and the City" on both TV and film - a role that earned her four Golden Globe nominations. She has also recently appeared in the critically acclaimed TV series "Hannibal," "The Big C" and "The Affair," and will next be seen as Emily Dickinson in Terence Davies' film "A Quiet Passion."

A Washington, D.C., native, Rod Lurie burst onto the scene with the feature film "The Contender," starring Joan Allen, in 2000. He later created the ABC drama "Line of Fire" and the critically acclaimed USA series "Commander in Chief," which received a 2006 Golden Globe nomination for Best Television Series - Drama, and earned its star, Geena Davis, a Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama. Screenwriter Eric Simonson has a career marked by success in writing and directing film and documentary shorts. He won a 2006 Academy Award for "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin" in the category of Best Documentary, Short Subject, and has twice been nominated for a News & Documentary Emmy Award for his work in long form.

Killing Reagan will be the fourth in a successful partnership between NGC, Scott Free Productions and Bill O'Reilly, with the previous three collaborations, Killing Lincoln, Killing Kennedy and Killing Jesus, serving as the network's three most-watched programs of all time and earning multiple Emmy nominations. The movie is the first in a steady stream of scripted programming the network will put into production in the coming months, including the just-announced Ron Howard-produced scripted series Genius, signifying the network's ongoing commitment to the genre.

Based on O'Reilly's fourth No. 1 best-selling book, Killing Reagan takes a different approach than its predecessors, exploring how the attempted assassination on the newly elected president impacted his time in office. From the final, hotly contested months leading up to his 1980 election, the movie explores Reagan's journey to the nation's highest office and the challenges he faced to define himself as a leader. During this time, the mental health and obsessive tendencies of his would-be assassin, John Hinckley, unravel - leading up to that fateful day in 1981. The story is told in the same riveting fashion that has made best-sellers of O'Reilly's first four books, and must-see hits of NGC's movie adaptations. It will premiere on National Geographic Channel in the U.S. this fall, and around the world early next year in 170 countries and 45 languages.

Killing Reagan will be produced for National Geographic Channels by Scott Free Productions. For Scott Free, Ridley Scott. David W. Zucker and Mary Lisio are executive producers, and Clayton Krueger is co-Executive Producer. Bill O'Reilly is also executive producer. For National Geographic Channels, Carolyn G. Bernstein is executive vice president and head of global scripted development and production.

# # #

About National Geographic Channels

The National Geographic Channels (The Channels) form the television and production arm of National Geographic Partners, a joint venture between 21st Century Fox and the National Geographic Society. As a global leader in premium science, adventure and exploration programming, the Channels include: National Geographic Channel (NGC), Nat Geo WILD, Nat Geo People and Nat Geo MUNDO. Additionally, the Channels also run the in-house television production unit, National Geographic Studios. The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with entertaining, innovative programming from A-level talent around the world, and with profits that help support the society's mission. Globally, NGC is available in more than 440 million homes in 171 countries and 45 languages, and Nat Geo WILD is available in 131 countries and 38 languages. National Geographic Partners is also a leader in social media, with a fan base of 250 million people across all of its social pages. NGC contributes over 55 million social media fans globally on Facebook alone. For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com and www.natgeowild.com.

About Scott Free Productions

Scott Free Productions is the film and television production company of acclaimed film director Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 70 Emmy nominations with 20 wins, and 20 Golden Globe nominations for its highly acclaimed television projects, which include the Peabody Award-winning "The Good Wife," which is in its seventh and final season on CBS; a series adaptation of Philip K. Dick's classic "The Man in the High Castle" for Amazon, now in production on season two; the Civil War medical drama "Mercy Street," PBS' first scripted series in over a decade, now in production on season two; "BrainDead," a satiric-thriller CBS summer series from Robert and Michelle King; and the acclaimed Killing telefilms (Killing Kennedy, Killing Lincoln and Killing Jesus) for National Geographic, each of which premiered to record numbers for the channel. Current productions in 2016 include "Taboo" for FX and BBC, Killing Reagan for National Geographic, "The Terror" for AMC, "Sensory" for CBS and "Jean-Claude Van Johnson" for Amazon.





  [may 2016]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· KILLING REAGAN (NGC)





[10/03/25 - 02:17 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting '25 MLB Wild Card Series
Across eight games, the MLB Wild Card Series is averaging 4.4 million viewers, up 65% from last year.

[10/03/25 - 12:37 PM]
BET+ Sets October 23 Premiere for "Carl Weber's The Family Business" Season 6
The 10-episode season will premiere with two episodes, followed by one episode weekly, with the finale on Thursday, December 18.

[10/03/25 - 12:07 PM]
"Dancing with the Stars" Continues to Shatter Records - Growing Two Weeks in a Row Since Season Premiere for First Time Since 2005
Plus: "High Potential" hit a season high in Total Viewers (4.24 million), growing by double digits over the show's comparable third episode from last fall.

[10/03/25 - 10:57 AM]
Legends, Champions and Icons of October Highlight FOX Sports' Postseason Broadcaster Lineup
FOX Sports begins its Postseason coverage Saturday, October 4 at 4:00 PM ET on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One as the New York Yankees face the Toronto Blue Jays.

[10/03/25 - 10:05 AM]
All-New Season of "Gold Rush" Returns with High-Stake Risks and Land Fury on Friday, November 7 at 8PM ET/PT on Discovery
With only a few short months to mine, top bosses and rising underdogs collide in a race to claim new ground, move more dirt, and strike it rich.

[10/03/25 - 09:12 AM]
FOX Nation Secures Exclusive U.S. Rights to Docuseries "Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar"
The acclaimed series will make its anticipated U.S. debut on FOX Nation on Monday, October 6.

[10/03/25 - 08:02 AM]
TNT Sports to Be Exclusive Home of 2025 NLDS & NLCS
Both best-of-five NLDS series begin Saturday, October 4.

[10/03/25 - 08:01 AM]
TNT Sports Sets BIG EAST Men's College Basketball Schedule for Inaugural 2025-26 Season
TNT Sports' regular season BIG EAST men's basketball schedule will feature 40 appearances by St. John's, UConn, Creighton, Xavier, and Marquette, programs that each clinched berths in last season's NCAA Men's Tournament.

[10/03/25 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "27 Nights" - Official Trailer - Netflix
When a woman is admitted by her daughters to a psychiatric clinic for her carefree ways, an expert must judge if she is ill or simply wants to enjoy life.

[10/03/25 - 04:01 AM]
Video: "Steve" - Official Trailer #2 - Netflix
Over one intense day, the devoted head teacher of a last-chance reform school strives to keep his students in line while facing pressures of his own.

[10/03/25 - 03:02 AM]
Miguel Herran Will Play Poli Diaz in "El Porto the Vallecas," the New Film by Daniel Calparsoro for Netflix
Inspired by true events, the film follows the life of Policarpo "Poli" Díaz (Miguel Herrán), a young man from Vallecas who, despite a childhood marked by poverty and family violence, became a boxing legend in 1980s Spain, even fighting for the world lightweight title.

[10/03/25 - 03:01 AM]
Netflix Honors Jane Goodall with Posthumous Release of "Famous Last Words" Docuseries Following Her Passing
The series showcases reflective interviews with some of the world's most influential cultural figures, who agreed to sit down and discuss their legacy, and give their final words, with the understanding that it would only be shared with the world after they passed.

[10/02/25 - 04:09 PM]
ESPN Delivers the Most-Watched WNBA Semifinals Ever
Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and the Las Vegas Aces averaged 1.8 million viewers, peaking at 2.1 million.

[10/02/25 - 03:01 PM]
Video: "Twisted Wonderland" - Trailer - Disney+
Your favorite villains reimagined in ways you've never dared to dream.

[10/02/25 - 02:51 PM]
ESPN's Record-Setting Day One of MLB Wild Card Series
Coverage of Red Sox versus Yankees averaged 6.5 million viewers, peaking at 9.9 million.