Production Underway on the Second Cycle of CTV and Super Écran Hit Serialized Drama CARDINAL

– The #1 new Canadian series, CARDINAL also ranks among the Top 10 new series overall in 2016/17 season –
– Six all-new hour-long episodes to be filmed in North Bay, Ont. and Toronto –
– Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse return as detectives John Cardinal and Lise Delorme –
– Cast additions include Bruce Ramsay (19-2), Alex Paxton-Beesley (PURE), Jonathan Keltz (REIGN), Kevin Hanchard (ORPHAN BLACK) and Kris Holden-Ried (VIKINGS) –
– Cycle 2 of CARDINAL will premiere as part of CTV and Super Écran's 2017/18 season –

To tweet this release: bmpr.ca/2qAI8C2

TORONTO and MONTRÉAL, May 31, 2017 /CNW/ - CTV and Super Écran, alongside producers Sienna Films and Entertainment One (eOne), announced today that production is underway on the second cycle of CARDINAL, the #1 new Canadian series of the year starring Golden Globe® nominee Billy Campbell (THE KILLING) and the multiple Genie Award-winning actress Karine Vanasse (REVENGE). Inspired by Black Fly Season, the third novel in the John Cardinal Mysteries series written by Ontario native and award-winning author Giles Blunt, the second cycle of the networks' serialized drama is shooting six, hour-long episodes in North Bay, Ont. and Toronto before premiering as part of CTV and Super Écran's 2017/18 season.

Cycle 1 of CARDINAL was the most-watched new Canadian series and ranked among the Top 10 new series overall that launched on Canadian television in the 2016/17 season, averaging 1.1 million viewers weekly. Following the success of the first season, the series received an unprecedented two-season renewal.

eOne has successfully licensed the series internationally with the first season of CARDINAL having aired on CANAL+ in France, Calle 13 in Spain, and C More in Scandinavia, where it became the network's biggest foreign drama series. Cycle 1 of CARDINAL will premiere June 3 on BBC in the U.K. and June 16 on Hulu in the U.S.

CARDINAL picks up several months after the events of Cycle 1. It's early summer in Algonquin Bay and the blackflies aren't the only ones out for blood. Detectives John Cardinal (Campbell) and Lise Delorme (Vanasse) find themselves with a strange case on their hands involving a young woman with a gunshot wound to the head. The investigation quickly takes a turn as Cardinal and Delorme uncover a series of disturbing, ritualistic killings that may be connected to their young victim. Cardinal must work to identify the young woman before her attacker strikes again.

Joining Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse in Cycle 2 of CARDINAL is an all-star supporting cast that includes Bruce Ramsay (19-2) as Ray Northwind, Alex Paxton-Beesley (PURE) as Red, Jonathan Keltz (REIGN) as Kevin Tait, Kevin Hanchard (ORPHAN BLACK) as Detective Alan Clegg, and Kris Holden-Ried (VIKINGS) as Scott Lasalle. Returning cast members include Deborah Hay (The Anniversary) as Catherine Cardinal, Glen Gould (Rhymes for Young Ghouls) as Det. Jerry Commanda, Kristen Thomson (Away From Her) as Staff Sergeant Noelle Dyson, David Richmond Peck (ORPHAN BLACK) as Corporal Malcolm Musgrave, and Alanna Bale (PRIME RADICALS) as Kelly Cardinal. 

"We could not be more proud of CARDINAL and we are thrilled to be working again with Sienna Films on such a superbly made Canadian series," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. "The first cycle of this riveting series was enthusiastically embraced by Canadians, and Cycle 2 is set to deliver another beautifully crafted and emotionally enthralling season of unforgettable crime drama."

"CARDINAL has seduced numerous francophone viewers during its first cycle and we are very happy that the series will be back," said Dany Meloul, Vice-President, Programming, French-Language TV at Bell Media. "Once again, Bell Media will offer all Canadians a high-quality production broadcasted simultaneously in French on Super Écran and in English on CTV."

CARDINAL is prodced by Sienna Films and eOne in association with CTV, with the financial participation of the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, the Canada Media Fund, and the Cogeco Program Development Fund; and with the assistance of the Ontario Film and Television Tax Credit and the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. Super Écran has commissioned the series for French-language Canadian broadcast. eOne distributes the series worldwide.

CARDINAL is adapted from the John Cardinal Mysteries series, a series of six bestselling crime novels written by Giles Blunt. Cycle 2 of CARDINAL is written by Sarah Dodd (MOTIVE, RANSOM), who also serves as an Executive Producer; and co-executive producers Jennica Harper (MOTIVE) and Alison Bingeman (19-2). Co-Executive Producer Jeff Renfroe (ROGUE) directs all six episodes. The drama is executive produced by Sienna Films duo Julia Sereny and Jennifer Kawaja (COMBAT HOSPITAL). For eOne, Jocelyn Hamilton and Tecca Crosby serve as Executive Producers. For Bell Media, Michele McMahon is Production Executive; Tom Hastings is Director, Drama, Original Programming; Corrie Coe is Senior Vice-President, Original Programming; Pat DiVittorio is Vice-President, Programming, CTV and Specialty. Mike Cosentino is Senior Vice-President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media.

Source: Numeris, BYTD 2016-17 (Sep 19, 2016- May 21, 2017). P2+. Final data.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
Billy Campbell – @WOCampbell
Karine Vanasse – @karinevanasse
Alex Paxton Beesley – @baxtonpeesley
Jonathan Keltz – @jonnykanyon
Kris Holden Ried – @KrisHolden_Ried
Kevin Hanchard – @kevinhanchard
Glen Gould – @glen_gould
David Richmond-Peck – @richmondpeck

Facebook:
facebook.com/CTV
facebook.com/SuperEcran

About Sienna Films                                                                        
Helmed by Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny, Sienna Films is the producer of internationally recognized television programs and feature films. On air in 2017 are episodic procedural RANSOM (13 X 1 hours (France-Canada co-production, eOne/Wildcats) with creators Frank Spotnitz and David Vainola for CBS, TF1, Shaw and RTL; and CARDINAL, a serialized (6 X 1 hours) detective series for Bell Media, starring Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse, airing internationally on broadcasters including BBC and Canal+ and streaming on Hulu beginning June 16. Previous television includes series COMBAT HOSPITAL (Global/ABC/Sony Int'l); Julian Fellowes mini-series TITANIC (Canada-UK-Hungary co-production; ITV/Global/ABC); and mini-series DIAMONDS (CBC/ABC/Antennae). Sienna's feature films include 2017 release Unless, starring Catherine Keener, based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Carol Shields (TIFF 2016); How She Move (Paramount Vantage/MTV Films); Touch of Pink (Sony Pictures Classics); New Waterford Girl (Alliance Atlantis)]; I, Claudia; Marion Bridge and Saint Monica. Sienna's feature films have played at film festivals internationally including Sundance, Toronto International, Berlin and Rotterdam and have enjoyed wide theatrical distribution.

About Entertainment One
Entertainment One Ltd. (LSE:ETO) is a global independent studio that specialises in the development, acquisition, production, financing, distribution and sales of entertainment content. The Company's diversified expertise spans across film, television and music production and sales, family programming, merchandising and licensing, and digital content. Through its global reach and expansive scale, powered by deep local market knowledge, the Company delivers the best content to the world.

Entertainment One's robust network includes film and television studio The Mark Gordon Company; content creation venture Amblin Partners with Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, and Reliance Entertainment; leading feature film production and global sales company Sierra Pictures; unscripted television production company Renegade 83; world-class music labels Dualtone Music Group and Last Gang; and award-winning digital agency Secret Location.

The Company's rights library is exploited across all media formats and includes more than 100,000 hours of film and television content and approximately 40,000 music tracks.

About Bell Media Original Programming
Bell Media has commissioned some of Canada's most-watched and most-acclaimed original programming, working with the best Canadian independent producers in the country. Hit series commissioned by CTV include ratings success stories SAVING HOPE, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA, MASTERCHEF CANADA, hit drama CARDINAL, and upcoming original series THE DISAPPEARANCE, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, and THE DETAIL. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty and streaming platforms are Space's internationally acclaimed ORPHAN BLACK as well as KILLJOYS, WYNONNA EARP, and DARK MATTER; Bravo's award-winning and most-watched original drama 19-2; CraveTV hit comedy LETTERKENNY; Discovery's first-ever drama FRONTIER; Comedy's satirical news series THE BEAVERTON, CORNER GAS ANIMATED; and multiple series and specials for food and lifestyle channel Gusto, including ONE WORLD KITCHEN and A IS FOR APPLE. Discovery is also home to Bell Media's hit factual franchise HIGHWAY THRU HELL, COLD WATER COWBOYS, and CANADA'S WORST DRIVER, among others. Bell Media is one of the first media companies in North America to commit to producing all new original scripted series in 4K.

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 16 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at CTV.ca.

SOURCE CTV

Jesse Wanagas, CTV Networks, 416.384.3193 or [email protected]; Mario Tassone, Unit Publicist, 416.889.6993 or [email protected]