Hi-res versions of first look photos: https://amcnetworks.box.com/s/h7px9gnu92tpn48mwf4ffublvaxxvgje
New York, NY; November 18, 2021 – AMC Networks’ premium streaming bundle AMC+ announces the acquisition of spaghetti western drama series That Dirty Black Bag from BRON Studios and Palomar, part of Mediawan Intl Group. Featuring an all-star ensemble cast led by Dominic Cooper (Preacher, Spy City) and Douglas Booth (The Dirt, Loving Vincent), with Niv Sultan (Tehran), Guido Caprino (The Miracle), Christian Cooke (The Promise, Ordeal by Innocence), Travis Fimmel (Vikings, Raised by Wolves) and Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones, Kin) co-starring, the eight-part series was filmed in Italy, Spain and Morocco and will make its exclusive U.S., Canadian, and Australian premieres on AMC+ in March/April 2022.
That Dirty Black Bag is a raw, epic and romantic series about the dark side of the Far West. The story describes the 8-day clash between Arthur McCoy, played by Dominic Cooper, an incorruptible sheriff with a troubled past, and Red Bill, played by Douglas Booth, an infamous, solitary bounty hunter known for decapitating his victims and stuffing their heads into a dirty black bag, because, as he puts it, “Heads weigh less than bodies.” The drama echoes and pays homage to the classic spaghetti western, capturing the genre’s legendary irony while revolutionizing it in a modern way for new audiences. The series tells of bounty hunters, bandits and bloody vendettas, lonely souls driven by such great passions as faith, love and revenge. In the world of That Dirty Black Bag, there are no heroes, nobody is invincible, and predators become the prey.
That Dirty Black Bag also stars Paterson Joseph (The Leftovers), Rose Williams (Sanditon, Curfew), Anna Chancellor (The Split, Pennyworth, The Hour), Zoe Boyle (Downton Abbey, Four Weddings and a Funeral), Eugene Brave Rock (Wonder Woman 1984) and Ivan Shaw (Nocturne, Insecure).
That Dirty Black Bag is from the creative mind of rising Italian filmmaker Mauro Aragoni (Nuraghes S’Arena), who co-wrote the series with writers Silvia Ebreul (The Hunter), Marcello Izzo (The Hunter) and Fabio Paladini (The Hunter) and will also direct. Brian O’Malley (The Lodgers) is also directing. PJ Dillon (Game of Thrones) is Director of Photography.
“With its propulsive script and incredible ensemble cast, AMC+ is proud to partner with BRON and Palomar on this innovative reimagining of the classic Western,” said Courtney Thomasma, general manager for AMC+. “We’re also excited to bring AMC+ subscribers another thrilling, high-stakes adventure of love and bloodlust in the Old West, following the enduring popularity of our AMC original series Hell on Wheels and The Son.”
“We are delighted to be launching That Dirty Black Bag, our reinvention of the classic spaghetti western, with AMC+,” said David Davoli, President of BRON Television. “With their proven eye for innovative storytelling, and their commitment to supporting the growth of international television, AMC Networks is the ideal partner to be unveiling this genre-bending epic series with. We look forward to sharing this electrifying and daring new series with their subscribers in the U.S. and around the world.”
“We embarked in this project with a great ambition: to make something unexpected and modern inspired by the tradition of the Spaghetti Western. It was a real adventure and a challenge due to the complexities and difficulties of the last 2 years but thanks to a group of fantastic people we achieved our goal. And, frankly speaking, we really also had a lot of fun shooting this show. The AMC+ acquisition is for us a great confirmation of this journey and we couldn’t be more proud.” said Nicola Serra, co-CEO of Palomar.
BRON and Palomar are co-producing, with BRON’s David Davoli, Aaron L. Gilbert, Steven Thibault, and Samantha Thomas, joining Carlo Degli Esposti, Nicola Serra and Patrizia Massa from Palomar as Executive Producers. The 8-part scripted television series is being produced in English with three seasons already planned. Mediawan has secured French rights to the series. BRON Releasing and Palomar Mediawan are handling international sales.
About AMC+
AMC+ is the company’s new premium streaming bundle featuring an extensive lineup of popular and critically acclaimed original programming from AMC, BBC America, IFC, and SundanceTV and full access to targeted streaming services Shudder, Sundance Now and IFC Films Unlimited, which feature content such as A Discovery of Witches, Creepshow, Riviera and Boyhood. The service features a continually refreshed library of commercial-free content, including fan favorites Mad Men, Rectify, Orphan Black, Portlandia, Hell on Wheels, NOS4A2 and series from The Walking Dead Universe, among many others. The service also offers a growing slate of original and exclusive series including Gangs of London, The North Water, Kin, The Beast Must Die, Too Close, The Salisbury Poisonings, Cold Courage, Spy City, Ultra City Smiths, Ragdoll and Anna. AMC+ recently launched in Canada and Australia, and is available in the U.S. through AMCPlus.com, the AMC+ app, and a number of digital and cable partners.
About BRON
BRON is a global media-technology and award-winning production company committed to furthering the art and craft of meaningful commercial storytelling. The company works through an innovative distribution agnostic approach using a blend of studio co-financing deals and in-house productions to create film, tv, audio and non-scripted content as well as interactive gaming, technology, and corp. investments. The company’s filmmaker-first approach, built on inclusion, innovation, and respect, has helped BRON solidify creative relationships with elite talent from an array of backgrounds. BRON has been instrumental in more than 120 productions and has built a robust slate of upcoming IP across all platforms. The company has been part of an outstanding 27 Academy Award® nominations and 6 wins. Founded in 2010 by Aaron L. Gilbert and Brenda Gilbert, BRON Studios is headquartered in Vancouver, with offices in Los Angeles, New York and Toronto, and companies in the UK and New Zealand.
ABOUT PALOMAR
Founded in 1986 by Carlo Degli Esposti and part of Mediawan Group, Palomar is one of the longest running Italian film and television production companies, leader with a proven track record in producing quality films, TV series and documentaries. Among the most representative recent Palomar productions: Emmy’s nominated Inspector Montalbano, the international success sold in over 70 countries; The Young Montalbano; Murders at BarLume; Emmy’s nominated Braccialetti Rossi; Maltese; the TV movie collection Once Upon a Time in Vigata; The Name of the Rose, a TV miniseries starring John Turturro and Rupert Everett and based on the acclaimed bestseller by Umberto Eco.
Currently, Palomar is engaged in the production of new prestigious international series, among which Gaddafi, created by Roberto Saviano and a new ambitious and pan-European version of The Count of Monte Cristo. For the silver screen Palomar produced movies that won important awards such as, among others: Leopardi; The Fury of a Patient Man, winner of 4 Goya awards; The Happy Prince; Piranhas, awarded with the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay at the Berlin International Film Festival 2019; Hidden Away, which earned Elio Germano the Best Actor Silver Bear at the Berlin International FF 2020 and 7 David of Donatello Awards 2021, among which Best Film and Best Leading Actor; The Life Ahead, released by Netflix, nominated for an Oscar and winner of the Golden Globe 2021 always for the best original song, and winner of the David of Donatello Award 2021 for Best Leading Actress: Sophia Loren.
Recently, Palomar launched two new business areas: one dedicated to the TV entertainment and one devoted to the animation industry.
ABOUT MEDIAWAN
Created in late 2015 by Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, Mediawan is one of the main independent European studios producing audiovisual content. Mediawan brings together best-in-class talents in audiovisual creation by operating on the entire value chain: production of drama, cinema, documentary, animation and unscripted shows (Mediawan Studios) thanks to over 50 production labels in France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Finland and Senegal, but also distribution of audiovisual content (Mediawan Rights, LS Distribution and Telmondis Distribution), and publishing of channels and digital services (Mediawan Thematics).