“11.22.63,” the event series thriller from executive producers J.J. Abrams, Stephen King and Bridget Carpenter, will premiere in select European territories this spring exclusively on Fox, it was announced Monday by Fox Networks Group Europe.
The deal with Warner Bros. Intl. Television Distribution secures exclusive first-run linear and non-linear rights for Fox pay TV channels in 18 European markets, including Bulgaria, Flemish-speaking Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the U.K.
The nine-hour series, which is based on King’s 2011 novel, is executive produced and written by Bridget Carpenter (“The Red Road,” “Parenthood,” Friday Night Lights.” Kevin Macdonald (“The Last King of Scotland,” “State Of Play”) directs and serves as executive producer for the two-hour series premiere.
James Franco stars as Jake Epping, a high-school teacher at a loss with his life, who wants to make a difference and do something meaningful. Encouraged by his ailing friend, Al Templeton (played by Chris Cooper), Epping journeys back in time in an attempt to prevent the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
The series is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Intl. Television Distribution, and is executive produced by Abrams, King, Carpenter and Bryan Burk.
