PARIS – CBS Studios International will host the world premiere screening of the new Showtime limited series, Escape at Dannemora, at MIPCOM 2018. The premiere will take place in the Palais des Festivals on Monday, October 15, with Ben Stiller, executive producer and director of the series, in Cannes for the event.
Escape at Dannemora is based on the stranger-than-fiction account of a prison break in upstate New York in the summer of 2015 that spawned a massive manhunt for two convicted murderers. The prisoners were aided in their escape by a married female prison employee, with whom they both became sexually entangled.
It stars Oscar-winners Benicio del Toro (Traffic) and Patricia Arquette (Boyhood), alongside Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) and Bonnie Hunt (Life with Bonnie). The show will premiere on Showtime at the end of the year.
Escape at Dannemora is written and executive produced by Brett Johnson (Mad Men) and Michael Tolkin (The Player). Also executive producing are Bryan Zuriff (Ray Donovan), Michael De Luca (Captain Phillips) via Michael De Luca Productions, and Nicky Weinstock for Stiller’s Red Hour Productions.
As an actor, director, writer, and producer, Ben Stiller’s global box office stands at nearly $3 billion, making him one of the highest-grossing stars of all time. His directing credits include the critically acclaimed comedy Tropic Thunder, which won the Broadcast Film Critics’ Award for Best Comedy and the Hollywood Film Festival Award for Comedy of the Year; cult comedy Zoolander in which he also starred; iconic indie Reality Bites; dark comedy The Cable Guy; and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, which was named one of the top 10 films of 2013 by the National Board of Review.
Stiller has amassed one of the most successful acting careers on record, from movie franchises Night at the Museum, Meet the Parents, and Madagascar, to modern classics such as The Royal Tenenbaums, Flirting with Disaster and There’s Something About Mary; independent features Brad’s Status, While We’re Young and Greenberg; plus Tower Heist, Permanent Midnight and Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, amongst countless others.
“The ultra-premium programming from Showtime continues to push boundaries, delivering some of the best production auspices and most compelling stories on television today. Escape at Dannemora is no exception, and we look forward to premiering this highly anticipated limited series, with the amazing Ben Stiller, at MIPCOM this October,” said Armando Nuñez, President and Chief Executive Officer, CBS Studios International.
“With its star-studded cast and top-flight writing and directing credits, we are thrilled to be showcasing Escape at Dannemora as the MIPCOM World Premiere Screening, and to welcome series director Ben Stiller in Cannes,” said Laurine Garaude, Director of Reed MIDEM’s Television Division.
