‘Black Sails’ Premiering A Week Early Online

By Thomas Winkley on January 13, 2014 in News Television

Starz new series “Black Sails” is set to premiere on January 25th, 2014. The Michael Bay produced series which is sure to feature many, varied, and unusual explosions will be airing 1 week earlier via the “Machinima Prime” YouTube channel. For those of us that have sworn ourselves to a life of cable celibacy this is the perfect opportunity to jump into a new series that looks to be absolutely stunning. The better news is for those that have been chomping at the bit for the series to air, you can hit it up online without a second thought. Then re-watch at home during one of those epic Starz Premiere parties you never invite us to. If you’re reading this wondering what in God’s name “Black Sails” is, here’s a trailer for your viewing pleasure. Full press release, after the video. 

 

MACHINIMA PARTNERS WITH STARZ TO PREMIERE THE FIRST FULL-LENGTH EPISODE OF THE STARZ ORIGINAL SERIES “BLACK SAILS”


Machinima Will Debut the First Full-Length Episode of the All-New Pirate Drama, Executive Produced by Michael Bay, on January 18 on Machinima Prime (YouTube.com/MachinimaPrime), One Week Before Airing on STARZ

 

Machinima is a Key Online Destination for “Black Sails” Videos, Trailers, and Featurettes

 

January 13, 2014– When the marketing kicks in for Starz’ highly-anticipated all-new original pirate drama “Black Sails,” Machinima will be front-and-center. The number one global video entertainment network for young males, Machinima will be the exclusive non-affiliate YouTube partner in the U.S. for the first full-length episode, airing the episode on Machinima Prime (YouTube.com/MachinimaPrime) January 18, an entire week before premiering on STARZ. Machinima has been and will keep distributing content including videos, trailers, and featurettes.

Exciting pieces that have launched on Machinima Prime include:

Machinima will also roll out more pieces of thrilling “Black Sails” content leading up to and after the entire full-length series premiere launches on Machinima Prime on January 18 — one whole week before it airs on STARZ.

Executive produced by Michael Bay and his Platinum Dunes partners Brad Fuller and Andrew Form (The Purge, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), the series was created by showrunner and executive producer Jonathan Steinberg (creator Jericho, Human Target) and co-executive producer Robert Levine (Touch). “Black Sails” centers on the tales of Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and his men, and takes place 20 years prior to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic “Treasure Island.” Flint, the most brilliant and feared pirate captain of his day, takes on a fast-talking young addition to his crew who goes by the name John Silver (Luke Arnold). Threatened with extinction on all sides, they fight for the survival of New Providence Island, the most notorious criminal haven of its day – a debauched paradise teeming with pirates, prostitutes, thieves and fortune seekers, a place defined by both its enlightened ideals and its stunning brutality. Starz has already picked up the series for a second season, which has begun production in Cape Town, South Africa. 

 

“Black Sails is a truly outstanding production that features a storyline that our audience will gravitate towards,” said Allen DeBevoise, Co-Founder and CEO at Machinima. “Michael Bay and the entire cast and crew have created a surefire hit for Starz and we are thrilled to be a part of it. This content partnership with our vast network will introduce the series to millions of loyal Machinima viewers and will help pave the way for future opportunities to partner with Starz.”

 

“Starz is very pleased to work with Machinima as a one of its key digital sampling distributors and custom content partners,” said Nancy McGee, EVP of Marketing for Starz. “Robust sampling maximizes potential exposure for a series, such as ‘Black Sails,’ that is a rich, yet widely accessible viewing experience. Machinima offers Starz and ‘Black Sails’ a great online platform to engage new audiences in a challenging digital space and introduce content that is truly premium to a valuable audience and ultimately assist us driving subscription growth.”

 

About Machinima

Machinima is the dominant video entertainment network for young males around the world. One of the top entertainment networks on YouTube, Machinima serves more than 2.4 billion video views per month and reaches more than 203 million viewers monthly. The network features scripted series, original content, weekly and daily shows, official publisher content, and gameplay videos, all aimed at the coveted 18-34 year-old male demographic. The company is backed by MK Capital and Redpoint Ventures and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

For more information, please visit www.Machinima.com and YouTube.com/Machinima.

 

About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies.  As of September 30, 2013, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 57.0 million subscribers, including 22.0 million at STARZ, and 35.0 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S.  STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television.  Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties.  Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

 About Platinum Dunes

Platinum Dunes was established in 2001 by Michael Bay, Andrew Form, and Brad Fuller with the goal of creating opportunities for first-time directors to make commercial, high-concept movies on modest budgets for a global audience. Recently, the company has broadened its horizons to include veteran directors and larger-scale projects.  They are currently in post-production onVigilandia for Universal Pictures and in pre-production on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles for Paramount Pictures.

Platinum Dunes’ first production was the 2009 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, directed by Marcus Nispel. The movie won the Teen Choice Award for Best Thriller and was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards, and grossed more than $110 million worldwide. The second Platinum Dunes project, the 2005 adaptation of The Amityville Horror, directed by Andrew Douglas, also earned over $110 million worldwide.

Two more films quickly followed: the prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, directed by Jonathan Liebesman and a re-conceptualization of the 1986 thriller, The Hitcher. It was during this collaboration that Platinum Dunes signed a first-look production deal with Rogue Pictures.

In 2009 Platinum Dunes pumped out two more successful films; The Unborn, which has grossed $78 million worldwide to date andFriday the 13th, which set the record for the biggest horror opening of all time with $40,570,000 million.  Most recently, Platinum Dunes produced their highest grossing film, A Nightmare on elm Street, which made over $118 million worldwide.