Netflix to film political thriller 'House of Cards' in Baltimore
Kevin Spacey, David Fincher to produce 13 hours for first TV season
By David Zurawik, The Baltimore Sun
January 5, 2012
"House of Cards," a political thriller starring Kevin Spacey and directed by David Fincher, will be filmed in Baltimore starting this spring, it was confirmed Thursday by Gov. Martin O'Malley.
The production, which involves 13 one-hour episodes for television, comes from Media Rights Capital and Netflix and is expected to launch the company known primarily for DVD distribution as a major creator of original dramatic programming. Netflix, which has more than 20 million subscribers, outbid such traditional producers of quality TV drama as HBO and AMC for the rights.
The series, which has been described as a $100 million project in Hollywood trade publications, will be a remake of an acclaimed 1990 BBC mini-series starring Ian Richardson. The Spacey-Fincher production will be an American version of the story of political scheming and media manipulation.
Fincher, who directed the feature films "The Social Network" and "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," will direct the pilot. "The Social Network" was also partially filmed in Baltimore.
"House of Cards" will be the third big-name, big-budget politics-themed production to arrive in Maryland during the last year, joining HBO's "VEEP" series, with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and the film "Game Change" starring Ed Harris and Julianne Moore.
The two HBO productions are expected to premiere this spring on the premium cable channel. Incentives from the state played an important role in bringing all three productions to Maryland.
TV and film production in Maryland disappeared with the end of HBO's "The Wire," and many of the skilled production workers in the area had to go on location to other states to find work in recent years -- until the arrival of "VEEP" and "Game Change," which not only put local actors and production workers back on the job, but provided contracts for small area businesses that provided everything from scenery to set decorations and food to the visiting filmmakers.
“We are extremely pleased that filmmakers of this caliber have chosen Maryland as the location for this series,” said O’Malley. “The production is estimated to have a $75 million economic impact and is projected to create over 2,000 jobs for local crew, actors and extras and support hundreds of Maryland businesses.”
"Our office has been in discussions with the studio about "House of Cards" for over a year, and this announcement is a result of the efforts and our partnership with the Baltimore City Film Office, the Maryland Film Industry Coalition, local film industry unions and county officials in the Baltimore region," said Jack Gerbes, director of the Maryland Film Office.
News of the production was hailed at City Hall Thursday.
“We are thrilled to welcome another quality television series to Baltimore. When a project like this comes to the city, jobs are created, small businesses are supported and the economic impact is enormous," Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.
“The film industry is returning to Baltimore thanks to the Maryland Film Production Employment Act," said Debbie Donaldson Dorsey, director of the Baltimore Film Office and secretary of the Maryland Film Industry Coalition. "The new incentive program went to work immediately, bringing two impressive television series to Maryland - creating thousands of jobs and massive economic impact.
UPDATE OCTOBER 2012
Netflix sets Feb. 1 release for Baltimore-made 'House of Cards'
All 13 episodes of first season will be available on Feb. 1 to subscribers
By David Zurawik
The Baltimore Sun
October 4, 2012
On Thursday, Netflix announced a Feb. 1 release date for "House of Cards," the Baltimore-made political drama starring Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright.
All 13 episodes of the first season will be available to subscribers on that date. The whole project is a huge risk with a new business model, and it will be fascinating to see how it works out for Netflix with this distribution formula.
Here's the release:
The Netflix original series, from Media Rights Capital, “House of Cards,” starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey (“Horrible Bosses,” “American Beauty”), Golden Globe® nominee Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Forrest Gump”) and Kate Mara (“American Horror Story”) will be available for members to watch instantly beginning February 1, 2013.
All 13-episodes of the drama series’s first season will be available to Netflix members in territories where Netflix is available - North America, the UK, Ireland, Latin America and Scandinavia.
“‘House of Cards’ combines the best of filmmaking with the best of television. Beau Willimon’s compelling narrative, David Fincher’s unparalleled craftsmanship, indelible performances by Kevin Spacey and the rest of the cast unite to create a gripping story and new kind of viewing experience for Netflix members,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “In offering the entire season at once, Netflix is giving viewers complete control over how and when they watch the show.”
From director David Fincher (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Social Network”), award-winning playwrighet and Academy Award® nominated screenwriter Beau Willimon (“Farragut North,” “The Ides of March”) and Academy Award® winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”), “House of Cards” is based on the BBC miniseries of the same name. This wicked political drama slithers beneath the curtain and through the back halls of greed, sex, love and corruption in modern Washington D.C.
An uncompromising exploration of power, ambition and the American way, the series orbits Francis Underwood (Spacey), the House Majority Whip. Underwood is the politician’s politician – masterful, beguiling, charismatic and ruthless. He and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Wright) stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy. In addition to Spacey, Wright and Mara, the series also stars Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”), Kristen Connolly (“The Cabin in the Woods”), Michael Kelly (“The Adjustment Bureau”) and Sakina Jaffrey (“Definitely Maybe”).
Fincher directed the first two episodes of the series, which were written by Willimon. James Foley (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), Joel Schumacher (“Falling Down”), Charles McDougall (“The Good Wife”), Carl Franklin (“Devil in a Blue Dress”) and Alan Coulter (“The Sopranos”) also serve as directors on “House of Cards.”
The drama’s second season is due to begin production in spring 2013.
House of Cards is executive produced by Fincher, Willimon, Joshua Donen, Eric Roth, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs and John Melfi. The one-hour drama is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix.
All 13 episodes of the first season will be available to subscribers on that date. The whole project is a huge risk with a new business model, and it will be fascinating to see how it works out for Netflix with this distribution formula.
Here's the release:
The Netflix original series, from Media Rights Capital, “House of Cards,” starring Academy Award® winner Kevin Spacey (“Horrible Bosses,” “American Beauty”), Golden Globe® nominee Robin Wright (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Forrest Gump”) and Kate Mara (“American Horror Story”) will be available for members to watch instantly beginning February 1, 2013.
All 13-episodes of the drama series’s first season will be available to Netflix members in territories where Netflix is available - North America, the UK, Ireland, Latin America and Scandinavia.
“‘House of Cards’ combines the best of filmmaking with the best of television. Beau Willimon’s compelling narrative, David Fincher’s unparalleled craftsmanship, indelible performances by Kevin Spacey and the rest of the cast unite to create a gripping story and new kind of viewing experience for Netflix members,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “In offering the entire season at once, Netflix is giving viewers complete control over how and when they watch the show.”
From director David Fincher (“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “The Social Network”), award-winning playwrighet and Academy Award® nominated screenwriter Beau Willimon (“Farragut North,” “The Ides of March”) and Academy Award® winner Eric Roth (“Forrest Gump,” “Munich”), “House of Cards” is based on the BBC miniseries of the same name. This wicked political drama slithers beneath the curtain and through the back halls of greed, sex, love and corruption in modern Washington D.C.
An uncompromising exploration of power, ambition and the American way, the series orbits Francis Underwood (Spacey), the House Majority Whip. Underwood is the politician’s politician – masterful, beguiling, charismatic and ruthless. He and his equally ambitious wife Claire (Wright) stop at nothing to ensure their ascendancy. In addition to Spacey, Wright and Mara, the series also stars Corey Stoll (“Midnight in Paris”), Kristen Connolly (“The Cabin in the Woods”), Michael Kelly (“The Adjustment Bureau”) and Sakina Jaffrey (“Definitely Maybe”).
Fincher directed the first two episodes of the series, which were written by Willimon. James Foley (“Glengarry Glen Ross”), Joel Schumacher (“Falling Down”), Charles McDougall (“The Good Wife”), Carl Franklin (“Devil in a Blue Dress”) and Alan Coulter (“The Sopranos”) also serve as directors on “House of Cards.”
The drama’s second season is due to begin production in spring 2013.
House of Cards is executive produced by Fincher, Willimon, Joshua Donen, Eric Roth, Kevin Spacey, Dana Brunetti, Andrew Davies, Michael Dobbs and John Melfi. The one-hour drama is produced by Donen/Fincher/Roth and Trigger Street Productions, Inc. in association with Media Rights Capital for Netflix.
Related
Click the photo from the set below to see all of the House of Cards coverage in The Baltimore Sun.
 |
| Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright in House of Cards |
No comments:
Post a Comment