I like the sound of the premise, the cast are good, and AMC have yet to put a foot wrong with their ongoing drama. My only cause for concern is that it's the brainchild of Jason Horwitch, who created Medical Investigation (a show I didn't see much of, but didn't like what I saw.) Still, Mad Men and Breaking Bad are two of the best shows around right now, so let's hope Rubicon doesn't let the side down for the cable channel...
The more detailed AMC press release is below:
AMC GREENLIGHTS CONSPIRACY THRILLER ‘RUBICON’
From Writer and Executive Producer Jason Horwitch
Series Stars James Badge Dale (The Departed), Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under), and Miranda Richardson (The Crying Game)
Warner Horizon Television to Produce Network's New Original Drama
NEW YORK, NY, June 24, 2009 – AMC announced today it has greenlit the dramatic series Rubicon. From writer and executive producer Jason Horwitch (Pentagon Papers, Medical Investigation), Rubicon is a conspiracy thriller that follows an analyst at a New York City think-tank whose work leads him to uncover a hidden clue that points to an unfolding global conspiracy. The one-hour, 12-episode weekly series will be produced by Warner Horizon Television. Rubicon marks the third series order from AMC. The first two series that the network developed were Mad Men and Breaking Bad.
"This script is an iconic project for us in that it underscores AMC's brand promise of 'Story Matters Here,' combining great storytelling with a world that hasn't been explored on television before. Think tanks are inherently mysterious places with murky agendas, and it’s a great setting for a show like this. Jason's understanding of the conspiracy thriller genre is evident in a plot reminiscent of some great films like Three Days of the Condor and The Parallax View. We're thrilled to have a world class cast, director, and production team to bring this series to life," said Joel Stillerman, SVP of original programming, production and digital content for AMC.
Rubicon revolves around a secret society that pulls the strings on the world political stage. The series focuses on an analyst at a national think tank who discovers that his employers are not who they seem to be. The show's cast includes James Badge Dale (The Departed), Lili Taylor (Six Feet Under, High Fidelity), Dallas Roberts (Walk the Line, Flicka, The L Word), Jessica Collins (The Nine, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation), Christopher Evan Welch (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), Lauren Hodges (Law & Order), Paul Butler (The Insider, Reign Over Me) with Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, Natural Born Killers, The Sandlot) and Oscar®-nominated actress Miranda Richardson (The Crying Game, Sleepy Hollow).
AMC's Joel Stillerman, SVP of Original Programming, Production and Digital Content; Vlad Wolynetz, Vice President of Production, Series and Movies; and Jeremy Elice, Vice President of Original Programming, will oversee the development and production of the new drama.
Rubicon's pilot was produced in New York City and was directed by acclaimed film and television helmer Allen Coulter (The Sopranos, Hollywoodland, Damages and Nurse Jackie). Kerry Orent (Michael Clayton, Rescue Me) is the producer, and the casting director is Avy Kaufman (The Sixth Sense, King Kong, Garden State).
In July of 2006, AMC entered into the original programming arena with Broken Trail starring Robert Duvall and Thomas Haden Church, which garnered record ratings for AMC and scored four Emmy wins. In the summer of 2007, AMC debuted its first original drama Mad Men. The series has received overwhelming recognition from the industry including making history by becoming the first cable network to garner back to back Golden Globe® wins for Best Dramatic Television Series and receiving multiple Emmy wins including making history again by becoming the first cable network to win for Outstanding Drama series. Then in January of 2008, AMC premiered its newest original series, Breaking Bad, which took home the Emmy for outstanding lead actor for Bryan Cranston's portrayal of lead character Walt White. The network features an extensive library of iconic, top-rated movies, acclaimed unscripted originals and specials, including AMC StoryMakers with Peter Bart and Peter Guber, and curated movie franchises including Hollywood Icon, AMC Complete Collection and AMC Celebrates.
About AMC
AMC - the most Emmy®-winning basic cable network of 2008 - reigns as the only basic cable network to win back-to-back Golden Globes® for Best Television Series – Drama and boasts a comprehensive library of the most entertaining movies of all time. Whether commemorating favorite films from every genre and decade or creating acclaimed original productions, the AMC experience is an uncompromising celebration of great stories. AMC's original stories include the Emmy® Award-winning dramas Mad Men and Breaking Bad, the upcoming miniseries The Prisoner and insightful non-scripted programming such as AMC Storymakers and AMC News. AMC further demonstrates its commitment to the art of storytelling with curated movie franchises like AMC Hollywood Icon and AMC Complete Collection. Available in more than 94 million homes (Source: Nielsen Media Research), AMC is a subsidiary of Rainbow Media Holdings LLC, which includes sister networks IFC, Sundance Channel and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms including on-air, online, on demand and mobile. AMC: Story Matters HereSM.
About Warner Horizon Television
Warner Horizon Television (WHTV) is one of the entertainment industry's fastest-growing television companies, specializing in the creation of scripted series for the cable marketplace, and primetime reality series for both network and cable. Founded in 2006, this second production entity allows the Warner Bros. Television Group to expand its programming offerings and explore creative options made possible under a new business model. WHTV is producing more than a dozen series for broadcast and cable networks in 2009–2010.
