CraveTV Lands Star-Studded SHOWTIME Drama BILLIONS

CraveTV Lands Star-Studded SHOWTIME Drama BILLIONS

- Starring heavyweights Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti, highly anticipated series about power, politics, and high finance to be available to all Canadians on January 17 as CraveTV goes direct to consumer -
- SHOWTIME unveils poster art for its new drama series -

"Here's a show that could be worth a billion-dollar bet." - USA Today
"Think of it as a small-screen Wolf of Wall Street . . ." - People

To tweet this release: http://bmpr.ca/1jElvV0

TORONTO, Oct. 16, 2015 /CNW/ - CraveTV announced that it will deliver one of the most anticipated series of 2016, BILLIONS, the new big-buzz drama series from SHOWTIME exploring the worlds of ultra-wealth, influence, and corruption in New York City. Starring Emmy(®) and Golden Globe(®)-winner Damian Lewis, along with Oscar(®)-nominee and Emmy and Golden Globe-winner Paul Giamatti, BILLIONS premieres on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 10 p.m. ET on CraveTV, day-and-date with SHOWTIME in the U.S., with new episodes streaming every Sunday night through the series run. The announcement comes in advance of CraveTV being made available direct to consumers in January, making BILLIONS the first new SHOWTIME series to be offered to all Canadians with access to the Internet.

BILLIONS is the latest premium television series to be featured on CraveTV and will anchor CraveTV's popular, exclusive SHOWTIME Collection, joining acclaimed audience favourites THE AFFAIR, HOMELAND, RAY DONOVAN, and many more.

"We couldn't ask for a better series to offer directly to premium TV fans across the country," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, CTV Networks and CraveTV. "Smart, provocative, and hugely entertaining, BILLIONS is a game-changer for CraveTV, immediately giving Canadians a billion more reasons to subscribe."

Click HERE for a sneak peek at BILLIONS, and to watch a behind-the-scenes look at this photo shoot.

**Media Note** Photography available online at online at http://www.bellmedia.ca/pr/

Set amongst the Machiavellian machinations of New York City power politics and finance, BILLIONS weaves an intricate narrative featuring a high-stakes game of predator-versus-prey as it follows two highly ambitious opposing figures: hard-charging, blue-blooded, politically connected U.S. Attorney Chuck Rhoades (Paul Giamatti, Sideways) and brilliant, calculating, blue-collar billionaire hedge fund king, Bobby "Axe" Axelrod (Damian Lewis, HOMELAND). The series also stars Maggie Siff (MAD MEN), Canadian actress Malin Akerman (The Proposal), Toby Leonard Moore (DAREDEVIL), David Costabile (SUITS), and Condola Rashad (Steel Magnolias).

BILLIONS is created, written, and executive produced by Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Ocean's Thirteen), and Andrew Ross Sorkin (Too Big to Fail). Sorkin is a financial columnist for the New York Times and the film based on his book Too Big to Fail is currently available on CraveTV. The pilot was directed by acclaimed director Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Divergent), who also serves as an executive producer.

In July, Bell Media announced CraveTV would become available direct to consumers, offering all Canadians with access to the Internet its extensive slate of premium, quality television programming. In addition to the SHOWTIME Collection featuring hundreds of hours of acclaimed SHOWTIME series and specials, CraveTV also currently features the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue, an unmatchable comedy slate, and CraveTV Original Series like the upcoming comedy LETTERKENNY.

About The SHOWTIME Collection
The SHOWTIME Collection, available exclusively in Canada on CraveTV, offers hundreds of hours of some of the most-acclaimed, star-studded, premium programming available anywhere, uncut and commercial free. The collection comprises award-winning scripted series, hard-hitting documentaries, and exceptional comedy and music specials from U.S. premium cable network SHOWTIME. Critically acclaimed programming featured in The SHOWTIME Collection on CraveTV includes THE AFFAIR, HOMELAND, RAY DONOVAN, PENNY DREADFUL, MASTERS OF SEX, NURSE JACKIE, and many more.

About CraveTV
Created for TV lovers and devoted to television, CraveTV is Canada's premium TV subscription on-demand video streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, CraveTV features thousands of hours of premium non-kids TV programming, representing hundreds of unique titles including the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue and hundreds of hours of acclaimed SHOWTIME series and specials. CraveTV is currently available to customers of Eastlink, TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, Bell Satellite TV, Bell Aliant FibreOP TV, Access Communications, Northwestel, SaskTel, Cable Cable, Nexicom, Hay Communications, Mitchell Seaforth Cable TV, Tuckersmith Communications, Wightman Telecom subscribers, NRTC Communications, WTC Communications, and Tbaytel. Available through traditional set-top boxes, mobile apps, the web, Apple TV, Chromecast, select Smart TVs and Microsoft Windows 8.1, CraveTV will soon be available via select game consoles. CraveTV is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company with more than a decade of leadership delivering Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed television programming across the Pay, Specialty, Digital, and Network TV landscapes. For more on CraveTV, visit www.CraveTV.ca.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CraveTVCanada
@CraveTV_PR

SOURCE CraveTV

Photo:http://photos.newswire.ca/images/thumbnail/20151016_C6790_PHOTO_EN_522538.jpg
http://photoarchive.ap.org/
CraveTV

CONTACT: SHOWTIME: Nicolle Balen, nicolle.balen@bellmedia.ca or 416.384.4061; CraveTV: Eleni Tenuta, eleni.tenuta@bellmedia.ca or 416.384.3530


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