Movie Central, TMN unveil original production slate for fall

Corus Entertainment’s Movie Central and Astral’s The Movie Network this week unveiled their greenlit production lineups for the 2012/2013 season at the Banff World Media Festival.

“Showcasing these critically acclaimed series alongside a lineup of exceptional productions with our international partners, Movie Central is providing our viewers access to an unmatched lineup of comedic, dramatic and action-packed series that reflect the best of Canada and abroad,” said Corus Entertainment VP original programming, kids, comedy, drama, in a statement.

“Our latest round of original productions further fulfills our goal of balancing auteur-driven comedies and documentaries from Canada’s most original voices with compelling international co-productions sure to have viewers on the edge of their seats,” said Astral Television Networks director of original programming and movie services Aubie Greenberg, in a statement.

Nova Scotia-filmed Call Me Fitz, which is produced by eOne, Amaze Film + Television and Big Motion Pictures, returns for a fourth season. Production is slated to begin on the fourth season in the fall, also when the third season is scheduled to premiere.

Also returning is Funny as Hell, produced by Just for Laughs Television and hosted by Jon Dore, for a third season, which will be filmed during the 2012 Just for Laughs Festival in Montreal.

Less Than Kind, from Breakthrough Film and Television and Buffalo Gal Pictures, also returns for its fourth and final season, currently shooting in Winnipeg through to July 10.

Canada-France copro mini-series The Heretics and Canada-U.K. scripted drama Rogue will also join the lineup.

The Heretics, produced by The Movie Network, Movie Central, Shaw Media and Toronto-based Sienna Films and France’s Breakout Films, Arte and France 2, set in 13 th century France, is currently in production in Romania and the South of France.

Rogue, a 10-ep drama starring Thandie Newton, is produced by eOne Television and the U.K.’s Greenroom Entertainment for U.S.-based DirecTV. The series will be shot in Vancouver in August.

Elsewhere, feature length theatrical doc Altman, produced and directed by Ron Mann and unveiled at Cannes last month; David Steinberg Documentary (working title) from The Nightingale Company; Barry Avrich’s In Studio; The Reelside from Chris Szarka and Raj Panikkar; Revolution: Sharkwater 2 from Rob Stewart; Banger Films’ Vincent Goes to Hell: An Alice Cooper Doc Opera; and Water, from Jennifer Baichway and Edward Burtynsky are also part of Movie Central and The Movie Network’s original production slate.