THE RETURNED Comes Back to Sundance Channel For Second Season, Late 2014

sundance CHANNEL announced today that it has acquired US broadcast rights to the second season of acclaimed Supernatural drama "The Returned" from Zodiak Rights. Season one of the French series premiered on sundance CHANNEL to universal critical acclaim and was hailed by many as one of the best new series of 2013. The eight-episode second season is currently in development and will air on sundance CHANNEL in late 2014.

Sarah Barnett, President and GM of Sundance Channel, stated, "Sundance Channel is becoming a go-to network for quality scripted television that's a little bit different to what's airing elsewhere, and 'The Returned' has proven to be an incredible addition to our slate. We were delighted with the overwhelming critical and fan response to the series and we expect that season two will continue to seduce and chill audiences."

In an idyllic French mountain town, a seemingly random collection of people find themselves in a state of confusion as they attempt to return to their homes. What they don't know yet is that they have been dead for several years, and no one is expecting them back. As they struggle to reintegrate with their families and past lovers, buried secrets emerge and new mysteries develop as they grapple with a miraculous and sinister new reality. But it seems they are not the only ones to have returned from the dead. Their arrival coincides with a series of gruesome murders which bear a chilling resemblance to the work of a serial killer from the past. The series was created by Fabrice Gobert and is based on the feature film Les Revenants by Robin Campillo. The series was produced by Caroline Benjo, Jimmy Desmarais and Carole Scotta from Haut et Court.

Following on the heels of Emmy-nominated "Top of the Lake" and critically acclaimed original scripted series "Rectify," "The Returned" marks a continued commitment by sundance CHANNEL to offer daring original entertainment. In addition to the 2014 premiere of season two of "The Returned," sundance CHANNEL will have a robust offering of original scripted programs including the network's second fully owned original scripted series, "The Red Road" premiering on February 27th, the second season of the critically-acclaimed "Rectify," as well as the original mini-series "The Honorable Woman," starring Maggie Gyllenhaal and co-produced with BBC Worldwide.

About Sundance Channel: Sundance Channel is the destination for What's Next, Now. Showcasing both today's creative icons and the emerging talent of tomorrow, sundance CHANNEL tells bold stories with a fresh point of view. In addition to award winning films, sundance CHANNEL is home to daring new original programming. Launched in 1996 and owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., sundance CHANNEL provides perspectives dedicated to founder Robert Redford's mission to celebrate creativity.

About AMC Networks Inc.: Dedicated to producing quality programming and movie content for more than 30 years, AMC Networks Inc. owns and operates several of the most popular and award-winning brands in cable television. AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel, WE tv, and IFC Films produce and deliver distinctive, compelling and culturally relevant content that engages audiences across multiple platforms. The company also operates AMC/Sundance Channel Global, an international programming business, and AMC Networks Broadcasting & Technology, a full-service network programming feed origination and distribution company.

About Zodiak Rights: Zodiak Rights is the international distribution and rights exploitation arm of Zodiak Media. With offices in London and Paris the company is a market leader in the worldwide distribution of television and home entertainment programming across all platforms. It also has a fully-fledged merchandising and licensing arm and digital exploitation team. Zodiak Rights represents a catalogue of over 20,000 hours of high quality content across all genres including kids, drama, factual and entertainment. Zodiak Rights London is the HUB for non-scripted programming (documentaries, factual entertainment, formats and entertainment) as well as the Kids, Digital and Publishing and Clips divisions. Zodiak Rights Paris is the HUB for all scripted programming (drama, comedy and feature films). Zodiak Rights award-winning scripted programming includes: "Being Human", the Supernatural hit for BBC Three and Syfy US; "Wallander", the BAFTA award-winning drama series for BBC One starring Kenneth Branagh; Millennium, the highest grossing Scandinavian movie of all time; "Braquo", the top-rating French drama; and the cult drama series "Saint-Tropez". Finished programming and format highlights include: global smash hit "Wife Swap: Fort Boyard", the legendary adventure game show which has celebrated its 20th anniversary; "The Secret Millionaire" Channel 4's philanthropic hit; the world's favourite dance competition "So You Think You Can Dance"; "The Best Singers" the new Swedish Primetime format; and "Location Location Location", the UK's premier property brand.

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