Bombs away: WGN America has ordered a second season of its original drama “Manhattan.”
Created and written by Sam Shaw, directed by Thomas Schlamme and produced by Lionsgate Television, Skydance Television and Tribune Studios, Season 2 will begin production next spring for a 2015 debut. Also counted among the executive producers are David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Marcy Ross and Dustin Thomason.
“Manhattan,” WGN America’s second original series, averaged 1.223 million total viewers in Nielsen’s Live + 7 Day measurement.
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The series tells the story of the Manhattan Project — the mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb. The story is told through the lenses of the scientists and their families in Los Alamos. The show is filmed on location in New Mexico.
“Manhattan” stars John Benjamin Hickey (“The Big C”), Olivia Williams (“Rushmore”), Daniel Stern (“Home Alone”), Ashley Zukerman (“Rush”), Rachel Brosnahan (“House of Cards”), Katja Herbers (“De Storm”) and Alexia Fast (“Jack Reacher”), among others.
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“‘Manhattan’ represents the kind of high-quality original series we aim to deliver at WGN America, and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the show’s widespread critical acclaim and its loyal audience,” said Matt Cherniss, president and general manager, WGN America and Tribune Studios. “Sam, Tommy and the talented cast and creative team have so brilliantly brought to life the world of the Manhattan Project and we can’t wait to see what secrets and surprises await us in Season 2.”
“We’re so thrilled to get to continue telling this extraordinary American origin story with our incredible family of writers, actors, directors and crew — and to be doing it on WGN America, which has always supported our creative vision,” added Shaw and Schlamme.
The Season 1 finale of “Manhattan” airs on WGN America on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 10 p.m. ET.