Starz is showing an early sign of confidence in Dangerous Liaisons.
The Lionsgate-backed premium cable network has handed out an early second-season renewal to the drama starring Alice Englert and Nicholas Denton. The pickup comes days before the drama’s Nov. 6 premiere.
“Dangerous Liaisons is addictive, provocative and beautifully rendered,” said Kathryn Busby, the recently installed head of originals at Starz. “This prelude to the famed 18th century novel illuminates pre-revolution Paris at its most decadent. We are confident that by the end of season one viewers will be craving more scheming and seduction.”
Dangerous Liaisons, picked up to series in summer 2019, is described as a modern reimagining of the 18th century novel set in pre-Revolution France from Harriet Warner (Call the Midwife) that tells the origin story of how his iconic characters, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, met as passionate young lovers in Paris on the eve of the revolution. Englert and Denton lead the cast that also includes Lesley Manville, Kosar Ali, Carice van Houten, Hilton Pelser, Fisayo Akinade, and Michael McElhatton, among others.
The series hails from Playground and Flame Ventures in association with Lionsgate Television. Warner created the series and serves as showrunner. She exec produces alongside Playground’s Colin Callender, Flame’s Tony Krantz, Scott Huff and Christopher Hampton.
“We’re greatly appreciative to Starz and Lionsgate for their ongoing support of the show. We’re very excited to share Harriet Warner’s brilliant vision for season two, which will see our world expand and the relationships between our characters deepen in thrilling, dangerous new ways,” Callender said.
The show is part of Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch’s effort to program the cable network with what he dubbed at the time as “premium female” programming for viewers that focuses on content made for women ages 24-54 who enjoy stories about women in history. (The “premium female” term has since been shifted to “female forward.”)
Dangerous Liaisons is part of a scripted lineup at Starz that also includes recently renewed series such as The Serpent Queen and P-Valley, as well as Outlander, Blindspotting, Run the World, Step Up, the Party Down revival and the Power franchise, among others.
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