EMMY(R) AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER/DIRECTOR GREG YAITANES SIGNS ON TO 'MANIFESTO'
Lionsgate Joins Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti's Trigger Street
for New Discovery Scripted Drama Series about Unabomber Ted Kaczynski
(Los Angeles) - Emmy(R) Award-winning television producer and director Greg Yaitanes (House, Lost, Damages, Heroes) has signed to executive produce, direct and serve as showrunner of Discovery Channel's highly anticipated new scripted series Manifesto, the story of how the FBI tracked down notorious Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, told from the point of view of the FBI profiler in charge of the manhunt.
Lionsgate is teaming with Discovery Channel, Kevin Spacey and Dana Brunetti's Trigger Street for the limited series. John Goldwyn, Yaitanes, Spacey and Brunetti are executive producing. Troy Searer is also executive producing.
The series follows FBI agent Jim "Fitz" Fitzgerald, one of the most decorated profilers in the history of the Bureau, and how his radical new approach to intelligence gathering ultimately brought down the Unabomber.
"Manifesto is one of the great untold stories of our generation," said Yaitanes. "I'm very excited to partner with the Discovery Channel and Lionsgate in bringing Andrew Sodroski's compelling script to life." Sodroski topped Hollywood's famed Black List for screenplays in 2013.
"This story captivated the nation, yet most don't realize how innovation and radical new ways of intelligence gathering helped unlock the true identity of the Unabomber. And this is what makes it perfect for Discovery," said Rich Ross, Group President of Discovery Channel, Animal Planet and Science Channel. "We've partnered with the best storytellers in the business and am thrilled to have Greg's creative vision behind it."
"Discovery is the perfect home for this incredible story, and Greg is the ideal storyteller to bring it to life," said Lionsgate Television Group Executive Vice President Chris Selak. "Manifesto is a fresh and spell-binding take on the Unabomber story that enthralled the nation, and the drama that unfolded behind the headlines. We are excited to bring this psychological thriller to television."
Yaitanes has been a leading director/producer for nearly 20 years, shepherding ground-breaking series including House, Lost, Damages and Heroes. His work on House won him an Emmy Award as best director in the drama category. He most recently directed and executive produced the Cinemax series Banshee. He is also the showrunner for the drama series Quarry, debuting on Cinemax later this year. Yaitanes is represented by CAA.
About Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is dedicated to creating the highest quality non-fiction content that informs and entertains its consumers about the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. The network, which is distributed to 100.8 million U.S. homes, can be seen in 224 countries and territories, offering a signature mix of compelling, high-end production values and vivid cinematography across genres including, science and technology, exploration, adventure, history and in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the people, places and organizations that shape and share our world. For more information, please visit www.discovery.com
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the leader in global entertainment reaching 3 billion cumulative viewers in more than 220 countries and territories. Discovery satisfies curiosity, entertains and inspires viewers with high-quality content through global brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Investigation Discovery, Animal Planet, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, and through the Discovery Digital Networks portfolio, including Seeker and SourceFed. Discovery owns Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, international distribution and sales, branded channel platforms, interactive ventures and games, and location-based entertainment. The Company has nearly 80 television shows on 40 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses. These include the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black, the syndication successes The Wendy Williams Show and Celebrity Name Game (with FremantleMedia), the breakout series The Royals and the Golden Globe-nominated dramedy Casual.
The Company's feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me, Divergent and John Wick series, Sicario, The Age of Adaline, Roadside Attractions' Love & Mercy and Mr. Holmes, Codeblack Films' Addicted and breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films' Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of approximately 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate and Summit brands remain synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world. www.lionsgate.com
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