WILLIAM PETERSEN RETURNS TO TELEVISION IN WGN AMERICA’S CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED SERIES ‘MANHATTAN,’ PRODUCED BY LIONSGATE,

SKYDANCE AND TRIBUNE STUDIOS

John Benjamin Hickey, Olivia Williams, Ashley Zuckerman and Rachel Brosnahan

Return for Second Season to Begin Production in April

LOS ANGELES, March 26, 2015 – WGN America announced today that William Petersen (“CSI: Crime Scene Investigation”) has joined the cast of its critically acclaimed drama “Manhattan,” marking his return to television after his celebrated Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated 10-year run as Dr. Gilbert ‘Gil’ Grissom in the hit series “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”  Produced by Lionsgate Television, Skydance Television and Tribune Studios, “Manhattan” will begin production on its second season in New Mexico in April for a 2015 debut on WGN America. 

Petersen will play Colonel Emmett Darrow, the enigmatic new ranking military officer at Los Alamos, as a series regular for season two.  A deeply religious and patriotic man, Darrow feels called by God to usher in the atomic future, and to spread American values across the globe.

The ensemble cast of “Manhattan” includes Emmy®-nominated actor John Benjamin Hickey (“The Big C,” “The Good Wife”) as Frank Winter; Olivia Williams (“Rushmore,” “The Ghost Writer”) as Liza Winter; Daniel Stern (“Home Alone,” “Home Alone 2”) as Glen Babbit; Ashley Zukerman (“Rush”) as Charlie Isaacs; Rachel Brosnahan (“House of Cards”) as Abby Isaacs; Katja Herbers (“De Storm”) as Helen Prins; Alexia Fast (“Jack Reacher”) as Callie Winter; Christopher Denham (“Argo,” “Shutter Island”) as Jim Meeks; Harry Lloyd (“Game of Thrones”) as Paul Crosley; and Michael Chernus (“The Big C,” “Orange Is The New Black”) as Louis “Fritz” Fedowitz.

Created and written by Sam Shaw and directed by Emmy® Award-winning director Thomas Schlamme, "Manhattan" is set against the backdrop of the greatest race against time in the history of science -- the mission to build the world's first atomic bomb. The series follows the brilliant but flawed scientists and their families in Los Alamos as they attempt to coexist in a world where secrets and lies infiltrate every aspect of their lives.

“Manhattan” recently won the 2015 SXSW Jury Award for Excellence in Title Design, besting 22 other film and television finalists.  Dan Gregoras, Creative Director at Imaginary Forces, illustrated the winning title design.  Additionally, the series’ Director of Photography, John Lindley, won the American Society of Cinematographers’ Outstanding Achievement Award in a Television Movie, Miniseries, or Pilot for his work on the premiere episode of the series, “You Always Hurt the One You Love.”

“Manhattan” is executive produced by Sam Shaw, Thomas Schlamme, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Marcy Ross and Dustin Thomason.  Follow “Manhattan” on Twitter @ManhattanWGNA. “Like” the series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ManhattanWGNA, and join the discussion with #manhattanwgna and #Fanhattans. See photos on Instagram by following @ManhattanWGNA and videos at www.youtube.com/ManhattanWGNA.

William Peterson is represented by CAA, manager Cindy Chvatal and attorney Clifford Gilbert-Lurie.

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About WGN America and Tribune Studios

WGN America, the flagship entertainment network of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO), is nationally distributed in 73 million homes via cable, satellite and telco, with entertainment programming including the original, scripted series "Salem," "Manhattan,” “Underground,” "Outsiders” and “Ten Commandments,” along with first-run syndicated series, blockbuster movies and live sports.  Through Tribune Studios, the creative development arm of Tribune Media, original content is produced for WGN America and Tribune local stations nationwide.  Follow the network on Twitter @wgnamerica.  For additional information, please visit www.wgnamerica.com.

About Lionsgate Television

Lionsgate is a premier next generation global content leader with a strong and diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, home entertainment, digital distribution, channel platforms and international distribution and sales. The Company currently has more than 30 television shows on over 20 different networks spanning its primetime production, distribution and syndication businesses, including such critically-acclaimed hits as the multiple Emmy Award-winning Mad Men and Nurse Jackie, the comedy Anger Management, the broadcast network series Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the critically-acclaimed hit series Orange is the New Black and new series such as The Royals, Manhattan, Deadbeat, Casual and Chasing Life.

About Skydance Television

Skydance’s television’s first series, Manhattan, with WGN America, premiered in July 2014 to critical acclaim. The show has been picked up for a second season, which will begin production in 2015. From writer Sam Shaw and director Thomas Schlamme, this 13-episode drama is set against the backdrop of the clandestine mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Next up for Skydance Television is the original comedy series Grace and Frankie starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as long-time rivals brought together by a rather unusual change in their marital circumstances. Written and created by Marta Kauffman and Howard J. Morris, the show’s 13-episode first season will premiere on Netflix on May 8, 2015.