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Television
by Alison Willmore
Mon Apr 09 14:57:22 EDT 2012
2 Comments
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ReelzChannel Buys Stuart Townsend Spy Series 'XIII,' Now With Roger Avary On Board

Stuart Townsend in 'XIII' ReelzChannel
Like seemingly every other network and streaming service, the film-focused ReelzChannel is looking to get further into the realm of scripted series. Previously focused on programming about movies in theaters, on DVD and on premium channels (like "Maltin on Movies" and "Naked Trailers"), Reelz has also been filling out its schedule with syndicated sitcoms like "Wings" and "3rd Rock From The Sun" and the occasional network premiere like Sarah Palin doc "The Undefeated," which took place the same weekend as the premiere of HBO's "Game Change" in what many assumed was a calculated bit of counterprogramming.

Reelz has also made itself the home of the Steven Seagal-scripted series "True Justice," in which the action star plays a former special forces agent turned undercover cop or something. Now Deadline's reporting they've picked up popular Franco-Canadian spy series "XIII," starring Stuart Townsend and Aisha Tyler and based on a Belgian comic book series and video game.

The show, an hour-long drama which has been airing in France and Canada, began shooting its second season last month in Toronto with Roger Avary now on board as an executive producer and, reportedly, the writer of the season premiere. "XIII" will start on Reelz in June, being actually the second iteration of the franchise to hit U.S. television -- in 2009, a miniseries version starring Val Kilmer and Stephen Dorff aired on NBC.

This time around, Townsend plays the title character, a secret agent suffering from amnesia who takes his name from the Roman numeral tattooed on his neck. Tyler is a Homeland Security agent who works with XIII, and Virginie Ledoyen is a Russian mercenary. "Fat Girl" star Roxane Mesquida has joined the series for its second season.

Television
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TAGS: Television, Stuart Townsend, XIII, Aisha Tyler, Roxane Mesquida, Roger Avary, Virginie Ledoyen, ReelzChannel, TV News

2 Comments

  • MARIBELL BLIZZ | Sat Jul 28 16:27:57 EDT 2012Reply

    OMG !....look at him he look's handsome & he knows it 2!... i love the x111 series it has alot of action & suspense! & he plays his roll as a secret agent very well. "but i will alway's remember him in the hit movie Queen of the Damned where he played as the sexy vampire lestat".

  • the cabin boy | Mon Apr 09 15:23:06 EDT 2012Reply

    Roger Avery is out of jail? Since when? You're burying the real story here!

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