MGM channel re-brands as AMC on DStv

DStv is excited to announce the rebranding of MGM Channel as AMC from December 1, across          sub-Saharan Africa. 

According to a statement sent to SHOWBIZPLUSng, AMC will continue MGM’s legacy of showcasing hit films from one of the world’s biggest film libraries, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, that boasts the Robocop trilogy, the Legally Blonde franchise and The Terminator in its catalogue.

The channel, which launched award-winning TV and pop-culture phenomena The Walking Dead, Mad Men and Breaking Bad, will also introduce more exclusive original series from AMC Network’s own studios. These include a gritty legal thriller called The Divide that centres around a sensational murder case and Game of Arms, an unscripted series that explores the highly competitive world of American arm-wrestling.

The Divide

The Divide is a thought-provoking and suspenseful drama about the violent deaths of an affluent African American family, seemingly at the hands of two white construction workers. It explores the personal cost of morality, ambition, ethics, politics, and race in today's justice system through the eyes of Christine Rosa played by Marin Ireland (Homeland, Boss, Side Effects), an impassioned caseworker with The Innocence Initiative, and Adam Page played by Damon Gupton (The Newsroom, Prime Suspect), an equally passionate district attorney and political rising star.

The eight-episode series produced by AMC studios is written by the Academy Award® and Emmy® nominated Richard LaGravenese (Behind the Candelabra, Water for Elephants, The Bridges of Madison County) who co-created the show with Tony Goldwyn (Scandal, Justified, Dexter, A Walk on the Moon) who took over the director’s seat for the premiere episode.

LaGravenese and Goldwyn also serve as executive producers with Emmy® award winner, John Tinker (The Practice, Chicago Hope) as the showrunner and Andrew Sugarman (Shopgirl, Conviction) as co-executive producer.

The Hollywood Reporter described The Divide as “absorbing, ambitious and boasting a great cast” while The San Francisco Chronicle called it “an intelligently nuanced, character-driven legal thriller.”

The Divide premieres on Thursday, 8^th January, 20:00 CAT, with new episodes every week throughout January/February.

Game of Arms

AMC’s unscripted series Game of Arms is a look inside the raw world of American arm wrestling. The series follows the members of five regional arm wrestling clubs in the U.S. Game of Arms not only focuses on the technique and skill in this high-stakes world, but also the family, careers and personal struggles of each man outside of the sport. Each episode features a dramatic regional match, leading to a tournament finale where the entire cast will compete for prize money and bragging rights.

The series hails from Matt Renner and Ethan Prochnik, the Emmy® Award-winning producers of Deadliest Catch, and executive producer Dan Ilani, their partner at Undertow Films.

Game of Arms premieres on Tuesday, 2^nd December @ 20:00 CAT, with new episodes through to 16^th December. After the Christmas break, a Game of Arms triple-bill on Saturday, 3^rd January gives viewers the chance to catch-up with all the action so far, before new episodes start again on 6^th January.

For more information log into www.dstv.com