A&E Network Orders New Series BATES MOTEL

A&E Network is going directly to series on BATES MOTEL from Universal Television with Carlton Cuse ("Lost") and Kerry Ehrin ("Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood") serving as executive producers, it was announced today jointly by Bob DeBitetto, President and General Manager, A&E Network and BIO Channel and the network's Executive Vice President of Programming, David McKillop. The network is moving straight to series, bypassing a pilot, with a 10-episode order. Pre-production and casting will begin immediately.

"We are proud to be partnering with Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin on their thrilling reinvention of one of the most compelling characters in cinematic history," said DeBitetto and McKillop. "It's a provocative project from two of the best storytellers in the business and we're looking forward to getting started."

"Bates Motel," inspired by Hitchcock's genre-defining film, "Psycho," is a contemporary exploration of the formative years of Norman Bates, relationship with his mother, Norma, and the world they inhabit. Viewers will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn first-hand how Norma helped forge the most famous serial killer of them all. "Bates Motel" will premiere on A&E in 2013.

"Bates Motel" is produced by Universal Television and Carlton Cuse Productions for A&E Network. Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin serve as executive producers.

About A&E Network

A&E is "Real Life. Drama." Now reaching more than 99 million homes, A&E is television that you can't turn away from; where unscripted shows are dramatic and scripted dramas are authentic. A&E offers a diverse mix of high-quality entertainment ranging from the network's original scripted series, including "The Glades" and "Longmire," to signature non-fiction franchises, including the Emmy-winning "Intervention," "Duck Dynasty," "Hoarders," "Beyond Scared Straight" and "Storage Wars," and the most successful justice shows on cable, including "The First 48." The A&E website is located at www.aetv.com.