Um, 200 international licensing agreements for the series, that’s why. Even if the series, which is produced by Amblin Television (AKA Steven Spielberg) tanks – and we aren’t saying we think it will cuz it is produced by Amblin and Stevie, after all – all that overseas revenue is way too much to throw away.
Here are the specifics, brought to you in that wonderful, old-fashioned Hollywood way: Via a Press release from CBS. Thank you for sending this out and making our writing lives so much easier than usual, doods. We owe ya one. Anyway:
by Team TVWriter™ Press Service
CBS Studios International announced today agreements for the broadcast rights of “Under the Dome” with prominent broadcasters from around the world. The U.S. drama, which is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television and is based on Stephen King’s bestselling novel of the same name, will be licensed in 200 international markets, with some starting to run the series this summer.
International broadcast networks that have licensed the show include Channel 5/UK, ProSiebenSat1-Group/Germany, M6/France, RAIDUE/Italy, Network Ten/Australia and Global Television/Canada. Exact airdates will vary by country.
“UNDER THE DOME is a unique television event with tremendous creative auspices that is generating a lot of excitement in the U.S. and abroad,” said Armando Nuñez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group. “We’re thrilled to have some of the top broadcasters around the world as partners for the international launch of this series.”
UNDER THE DOME tells the story of a small town that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. UNDER THE DOME earned widespread critical acclaim and #1 bestseller status when it was first published by Simon & Schuster’s Scribner imprint in 2009. It has also been a major bestseller as an ebook, and in paperback from Gallery Books.
UNDER THE DOME is produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Amblin Television. Steven Spielberg, Stephen King, Neal Baer, Justin Falvey, Darryl Frank, Stacey Snider, Jack Bender and Brian K. Vaughan, who wrote the television adaptation, will serve as executive producers. The show premieres in the U.S. on the CBS Television Network on Monday, June 24.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Yeah, it is a tad dry, huh? Our apologies for not rewriting it in a more TVWriter™ style. We’ve had a hell of a weekend, and our heads are still aching. We’ll do better next time, for sure.