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While it has been shedding its original scripted TV series, like the cancelled Underground, WGN America has obtained the rights to the Bellevue TV show. The Canadian series premiered on CBC in February of this year. Anna Paquin stars in Bellevue, and also executive produces with creators Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell, along with Janis Lundman, Michael Prupas, Morwyn Brebner and Jesse Prupas.

Bellevue is “a small town with big secrets.” The WGN America crime drama series also stars Anna Paquin, Shawn Doyle, Billy MacLellan, Sharon Taylor, Patrick Labbé, Vincent Leclerc, Janine Theriault, Joe Cobden, and Allen Leach. The series will premiere in early 2018.

WGN AMERICA SECURES THE U.S. RIGHTS TO MUSE ENTERTAINMENT AND BACK ALLEY FILMS’ GRIPPING ORIGINAL SERIES “BELLEVUE,” STARRING ACADEMY AWARD WINNER ANNA PAQUIN, PREMIERING EARLY 2018

Star Anna Paquin Executive Produces Original Series, Alongside Creators Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell, with Janis Lundman, Michael Prupas, Morwyn Brebner and Jesse Prupas

Los Angeles, July 31, 2017 – WGN America announced today that it has acquired the U.S. rights to the compelling original drama series “Bellevue,” starring Academy(R) and Golden Globe(R) winner Anna Paquin (“True Blood,” “Roots”), who executive produces alongside creators/showrunners Jane Maggs (“The Offering”) and producer/director Adrienne Mitchell (“Bomb Girls,” “Durham County”). The eight-episode, one-hour drama is produced by Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Film Productions and also stars Shawn Doyle (“House of Cards,” “Fargo“) and Allen Leech (“Downton Abbey,” The Imitation Game). “Bellevue” will premiere in early 2018 on WGN America.

Welcome to “Bellevue” – a small town with big secrets. Twenty years ago the murder of a young woman traumatized the community. Now the killer is back. Or is he? When a high school hockey star wrestling with his gender identity goes missing and all signs point to foul play, Detective Annie Ryder (Anna Paquin) must unravel all the pieces to this gripping mystery before her own life falls apart. As the case pulls her further away from her family, she is also confronted by a mysterious person from her past with disturbing answers and a terrifying need to get inside her head. Along the way, Annie must navigate a complicated relationship with her on again, off again ex, Eddie (Allen Leech) and her boss on the force, Police Chief Peter Welland (Shawn Doyle).

Award-winning actress Anna Paquin is best known for her seven-season starring role as Sookie Stackhouse in the hit series True Blood. Born in Canada and raised in New Zealand, Paquin began acting at the age of 11 with her breakout role in The Piano, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, making her the second youngest winner in Oscar history. She has since had a successful career, boasting high profile roles in the X-Men film franchise, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler, The Squid and The Whale, 25th Hour, Finding Forester, Almost Famous, Amistad, Buffalo Soldiers, A Walk on the Moon, Fly Away Home, Jane Eyre, The Romantics, Margaret, Straight A’s, and History’s remake of Roots. Paquin also stars in the upcoming CBC and Netflix mini-series Alias Grace.

Canadian actor Shawn Doyle has won two ACTRA awards for his performance in The Eleventh Hour and The Disappeared, a Gemini award for Eight Days to Live, and a Canadian Screen Award for John A: Birth of a Country. Other TV credits include the series Lost, CSI, Hannibal, Lie to Me, End Game, Republic of Doyle, Rookie Blue, 24, Desperate Housewives, Reign and Big Love. Doyle can also be seen in the CBC drama series This Life; the Syfy series The Expanse; and the upcoming Netflix series Frontier.

Allen Leech is an Irish stage, television and film actor best known for his role as chauffeur-turned-son-in-law Tom Branson on the Golden Globe and Emmy-winning historical drama Downton Abbey. Leech is a three-time SAG award winner and has appeared in television series The Tudors and Rome. He also starred in The Imitation Game opposite Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, which was nominated for five Golden Globes and eight Academy Awards. Leech can also be seen in Jonathan Mostow’s The Hunter’s Prayer with Sam Worthington.

“Bellevue” is produced by Muse Entertainment and Back Alley Film Productions and is co-created by Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell who is also the lead director. The other directors are April Mullen and Kim Nguyen. The U.S. premiere of “Bellevue” follows the series’ lauded debut on Canada’s CBC.

 

[Press release via The Futon Critic.]

What do you think? How do you like the sound of the Bellevue TV series? Do you plan to check it out, when it premieres on WGN America?