Production Underway on the Third Cycle of CTV and Super Écran's Hit Serialized Drama CARDINAL

– Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse return for six all-new hour-long episodes, currently filming in North Bay, Ont. and Toronto –
– Cast additions include Rya Kihlstedt (RAY DONOVAN), Aaron Ashmore (KILLJOYS), Alex Ozerov (THE AMERICANS), Tom Jackson (NORTH OF 60), Jennifer Podemski (BLACKSTONE), Susan Coyne (SLINGS AND ARROWS), and Devery Jacobs (THIS LIFE) –
– Daniel Grou aka Podz (19-2) returns to direct all six episodes of Cycle 3 –
– Cycle 1 of CARDINAL was the #1 new Canadian drama series of the 2016/17 broadcast season –

To tweet this release: bmpr.ca/2ydNTId

TORONTO and MONTRÉAL, Oct. 10, 2017 /CNW/ - CTV and Super Écran, alongside producers Sienna Films and Entertainment One (eOne), announced today that production is underway on the third cycle of hit original drama CARDINAL, starring Golden Globe® nominee Billy Campbell (THE KILLING) and the multiple Genie Award-winning actress Karine Vanasse (REVENGE). Inspired by By the Time You Read This andCrime Machine, the fourth and fifth novels in the John Cardinal Mysteries series written by Ontario native and award-winning author Giles Blunt, the third season of the networks' serialized drama is shooting six, hour-long episodes in North Bay, Ont. and Toronto.

The first season of CARDINAL was the #1 new Canadian drama of the 2016/17 broadcast season, averaging 1.1 million total viewers weekly, and received an unprecedented two-cycle renewal. eOne has successfully licensed the series internationally with the first season of CARDINAL having aired in U.S., U.K., France, Spain, and Scandinavia, among other territories. The second season of CARDINAL recently wrapped production and is slated to premiere as part of CTV and Super Écran's 2017/18 season.

In the third season, entitled CARDINAL: BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS, the autumn season starts to shroud Algonquin Bay, but the glorious fall colours can't hide the town's most gruesome double murder for long. As Cardinal and Delorme's detective work brings them precariously close to a doomsday cult with nothing to lose, Cardinal launches his own investigation into a case far more personal and dangerous.

Joining Billy Campbell and Karine Vanasse in CARDINAL: BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS is an all-star supporting cast that includes Rya Kihlstedt (RAY DONOVAN), as Sharlene 'Mama' Winston; Aaron Ashmore (KILLJOYS) as Randall Wishart; Alex Ozerov (THE AMERICANS) as Jack; Sophia Lauchlin Hirt (THE ROMEO SECTION) as Nikki; Canadian Screen Award winner Nick Serino (Sleeping Giant) as Lemur; Tom Jackson (NORTH OF 60) as Lloyd Kreeger; Jennifer Podemski (BLACKSTONE) as Wendy Doucette; Susan Coyne (SLINGS AND ARROWS) as Susan Bell; and Devery Jacobs (THIS LIFE) as Sam Doucette.

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; Stephen Ouimette as Dr. Frederick Bell; and Alanna Bale (PRIME RADICALS) as Kelly Cardinal.

"We're elated that production is starting on another cycle of CARDINAL and we know that our talented partners will deliver a  thrilling third season of this landmark Canadian series," said Corrie Coe, Senior Vice-President, Original Programming, Bell Media. "With a highly successful first season and having recently completed production on the second cycle, we can't wait to deliver even more of this unforgettable series to Canadians."

"We are so excited to be starting production on CARDINAL: BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS," said Jennifer Kawaja, Executive Producer.  "With our stellar cast, all-star crew and the continued support of our production partners at Bell Media and eOne, we're looking forward to the most thrilling cycle of CARDINAL yet."

Season 1 of CARDINAL is streaming now on CraveTV.

CARDINAL is produced 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 3 of CARDINAL is written by Patrick Tarr (SAVING HOPE), who also serves as an Executive Producer and Head Writer, with co-executive producer Noelle Carbone (SAVING HOPE, ROOKIE BLUE) and story editors Shannon Masters and Aaron Bala. Executive Producer Daniel Grou aka Podz (19-2) returns to direct all six episodes. The drama is executive produced by Sienna Films duo Julia Sereny and Jennifer Kawaja (RANSOM, 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 President, Content and Programming, Bell Media. Randy Lennox is President, Bell Media. CARDINAL is distributed worldwide by eOne.

Source: Numeris, Total Canada. 2016/17 Broadcast Year: Sep 19, 2016 – Aug 27, 2017.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Twitter:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
Billy Campbell – @WOCampbell
Karine Vanasse – @karinevanasse

Instagram:
@CTV_PR
@CTV_Television
@karinevanasse

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 the hit drama CARDINAL, the record-breaking THE AMAZING RACE CANADA and MASTERCHEF CANADA, new original series THE DISAPPEARANCE, THE INDIAN DETECTIVE, and THE DETAIL, and the upcoming international TV format THE LAUNCH. Among the original series on Bell Media specialty and streaming platforms are Space's KILLJOYS and WYNONNA EARP; CraveTV hit comedy LETTERKENNY; Discovery's first-ever drama FRONTIER; Comedy's satirical news series THE BEAVERTON as well as the upcoming CORNER GAS ANIMATED; and multiple series and specials for food and lifestyle channel Gusto, including ONE WORLD KITCHEN. Discovery is also home to Bell Media's hit factual franchise HIGHWAY THRU HELL, HEAVY RESCUE: 401, 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]