EPISODE FEATURES JACK BLACK AS A SHANE SMITH-INSPIRED CHARACTER AND
FRED ARMISEN AND BILL HADER AS REPORTERS ON THE HUNT
FOR A MEXICAN DRUG LORD
Series Makes Its IFC Debut on Thursday, August 20 at 10 PM ET/PT
NEW YORK, NY, August 10, 2015 — Via a unique partnership, IFC will pre-premiere an episode of its newest original comedy Documentary Now! on VICE.com beginning today, 10 days prior to the series premiere on IFC. In addition to VICE.com, the episode will simultaneously be made available on IFC.com, YouTube, VOD, DISH channel 102, iGuide, and on TV Everywhere platforms through IFC’s cable partners. The episode will be available through Thursday, August 27.
“It’s pretty rare when the inspiration for a laugh-out-loud satire not only gets the joke, but actually helps you share it,” said Jennifer Caserta, IFC’s president. “We could not be more excited for this show to premiere or more thankful to VICE and a wide range of distribution partners for helping to make this sneak peak episode of Documentary Now! so broadly available on so many platforms.”
IFC will pre-premiere the second episode of the series titled “Dronez: The Hunt for El Chingon,” which shares a stunning similarity to the documentaries the Emmy® Award-winning VICE on HBO is best known for producing. Fred Armisen and Bill Hader star as three sets of highly perishable journalists roaming the Mexican countryside laser focused on finding the country’s most feared drug lord, while comedian and actor Jack Black gives an award worthy performance as the face and voice guiding viewers through the chase, reminiscent of a certain media luminary.
Documentary Now! lovingly parodies some of the world’s best-known documentaries. Starring Armisen and Hader, each episode is shot in a different style of documentary filmmaking and honors some of the most important stories that didn’t actually happen. Paying homage to everyone from the Maysles to Errol Morris, and in addition to “Dronez,” the episodes range in topic from a soft rock doc about a Chicago band’s rise to fame with their hit album “Catalina Breeze” to an intimate portrait of socialite mother-daughter feral animal hoarders to a behind-the-scenes look at the world’s first documentary, and much more. Dame Helen Mirren (The Queen, The Audience) serves as host of the series, lending the gravitas that documentaries of this caliber so rightly deserve.
In addition to Jack Black (The D Train, Tenacious D), Documentary Now! will feature appearances by John Slattery (Mad Men, Wet Hot American Summer), iconic music manager Irving Azoff and SNL’s Aidy Bryant, Mike O’Brien, Paula Pell, and Tim Robinson.
Armisen, Hader and Seth Meyers all serve as creators, executive producers and writers. Documentary Now! is produced by Broadway Video and executive produced by Lorne Michaels. The series is also executive produced by Rhys Thomas and Broadway Video’s Andrew Singer. SNL’s Thomas and Alex Buono serve as the show’s directors. John Mulaney (Mulaney, SNL) serves as consulting producer and Erik Kenward (SNL) is supervising producer.
For continued updates on the new season of Documentary Now!, please check out:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IFC
Twitter/Hashtag: https://twitter.com/IFC #DocumentaryNow
Online: www.ifc.com
Art is available at press.ifc.com
About IFC
IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Series like Portlandia, Maron and Comedy Bang! Bang! air alongside fan-favorite movies and comedic cult TV shows. Owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., along with sister channels AMC, BBC America, SundanceTV and WE tv, IFC is available to 72 million U.S. homes and across multiple platforms. IFC: Always On Slightly Off
ABOUT VICE MEDIA
VICE is the world’s preeminent youth media company and content creation studio. Launched in 1994, VICE now operates in over 30 countries and distributes its programming to hundreds of millions of viewers each month across digital, linear, mobile, film and socials. VICE includes an international network of digital channels; a television and feature film production studio; a magazine; a record label; an in-house creative services agency; and a book-publishing division.
VICE’s award-winning programming has been recognized by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Peabody Awards, Sundance Film Festival, PEN Center, Cannes Lions, Frontline Club, Knight Foundation, American Society of Magazine Editors, LA Press Club, and Webby Awards, among others.
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