Los Angeles and Santa Monica, CA, February 16, 2017 – E! Entertainment announced a season four pick-up of the hit original scripted drama series “The Royals,” co-produced by Lionsgate and Universal Cable Productions. Created by Mark Schwahn (“One Tree Hill”), the hour-long drama follows a fictional modern day royal family as they find love, conspire against one another, and are forced to face long-hidden secrets, all in the name of the crown. “The Royals’” fourth season will consist of 10 one-hour episodes, to be followed each week by The Loyals’ favorite after show, “The Royal Hangover,” on Facebook Live.
The third season has been a fun, sexy romp filled with battles for the throne, unexpected trysts, secret relationships, impossible returns, and complicated reveals from the past. Events have included Queen Helena’s (Elizabeth Hurley) bitter battle against Cyrus (Jake Maskall) to prove Prince Liam (William Moseley) and Princess Eleanor (Alexandra Park) are rightful heirs to the throne after King Simon’s murder; the presumed dead Prince Robert’s (Max Brown) return to the palace; Queen Helena’s obsession with the Crown Prince of Lichtenstein (Elizabeth Hurley’s son, Damian Hurley) from the “Royal & Beautiful” television series; Princess Eleanor and her bodyguard Jasper (Tom Austen) taking a romantic turn in their relationship while he struggles to keep his past from catching up to him; and finally, Cyrus fighting for his life and the throne.
In the upcoming third season finale episode, airing this Sunday, February 19 at 10pm, Prince Liam finds himself in unexpected places while looking to validate or dismiss the latest palace scandal. Queen Helena is heartbroken over a recent loss, while Jasper makes a final play for Princess Eleanor’s heart, and historic changes assure that nothing will ever be the same behind the palace gates.
Following the episode, the cast of “The Royals” joins creator Mark Schwahn to talk about the latest vices, skirmishes and not-so-secret rendezvous the nobles have taken part in throughout the season on “The Royal Hangover” on Facebook Live at 11pm ET on Sunday, February 19.
“The third season of ‘The Royals’ has proven to be an entertaining mix of secrets, deceit and desire that our fans can't get enough of,” said Adam Stotsky, President, E! Entertainment and Esquire Network. “We are excited to see what new scandals await our royal family, and how their dynamic evolves in season four.”
“We’re proud to extend our partnership with our friends at E! and Universal Cable Productions, and we’re pleased that the dedicated fans – the ‘Loyals’ – are getting another season of their favorite show,” said Lionsgate Television Group Chairman Kevin Beggs. “’‘The Royals’ is the kind of original and provocative series that has become a Lionsgate trademark, and we look forward to an all-new season of saucy palace intrigue and badly behaved sovereigns.”
“Mark Schwahn has created a sensational and opulent world filled with high stakes, scandalous drama and fairytale love stories. We’re excited to continue working with the talented cast and crew along with Lionsgate and E! to deliver more of ‘The Royals’ to loyal fans,” said Jeff Wachtel, President, Chief Content Officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment.
"E!, Lionsgate, and Universal Cable productions are wise and benevolent rulers and the Loyals are the true aristocracy,” said Mark Schwahn, creator, writer and director of “The Royals.” “The writers, cast and crew love making this show, and I'm thrilled to once again play the role of court jester and humbly entertain our dedicated fan base with many more scandalous, sexy, heartfelt and addictive tales from the House of Henstridge."
The third season of “The Royals” is averaging 1.1M total viewers, with over 600k in the 18-49 demo. The scripted series ranks among the Top 5 Primetime destinations on Sundays (8p-11p) among W18-34 (#4), and is a Top 10 Primetime destination for 2017 to date among A/W 18-49 and A18-34. Season three is averaging 1.6M weekly social media engagements, up 52% versus the same season two window.
Source: Nielsen, Live + 3, A18-49, premieres only (12/4/16-1/29/17); Primetime ranks based on 2017 premieres only (1/1/17-1/29/17; Social = ListenFirst
“The Royals” is co-produced by Lionsgate and Universal Cable Productions. The series is executive produced, written and directed by Mark Schwahn (“One Tree Hill”), and executive produced by Brian Robbins, Joe Davola (“One Tree Hill,” “Smallville”), and Shauna Phelan. “The Royals” stars Elizabeth Hurley (“Queen Helena”), William Moseley (“Prince Liam”), Alexandra Park (“Princess Eleanor”), Jake Maskall (“King Cyrus”), Tom Austen (“Jasper”), Max Brown (“Prince Robert”) and Genevieve Gaunt (“Wilhelmina”).
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About E! EntertainmentE! is the only global, multi-platform brand for all things pop culture. The network is currently available to 91 million cable and satellite subscribers in the U.S. "E! News" airs nightly on the network and is the leading multi-platform publisher delivering breaking entertainment news and pop culture coverage 24/7 across all digital and social media. E! programming includes popular series "Keeping Up with the Kardashians," "Total Divas," "Botched," "Hollywood Medium with Tyler Henry," "WAGS," and "Fashion Police," as well as the network's first original scripted series "The Royals." Additionally, E!'s "Live from the Red Carpet" signature events keep fans connected to their favorite stars on pop culture's biggest nights. E! is a network of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. For more corporate information, visit www.nbcuniversal.com.
About Universal Cable Productions
Universal Cable Productions (UCP) creates innovative and critically acclaimed original scripted and digital content across media platforms for domestic and international distribution. In the U.S., UCP’s programming can be seen across various networks including the Emmy and Golden Globe award-winning drama “Mr. Robot,” “Colony,” “Falling Water,” “Playing House,” “Shooter” and “Suits” on USA Network; “12 Monkeys,” "Incorporated," “Killjoys,” and “The Magicians” on Syfy; “Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce” and “Imposters” on Bravo; “The Arrangement” and “The Royals” on E!; “Difficult People” on Hulu; and "HarmonQuest" on Seeso. UCP’s content library includes critic and fan favorites such as the Emmy-award winning “Monk” as well as “Psych” and “Battlestar Galactica.” Universal Cable Productions is a part of NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. Follow us @UCPisTV.
About Lionsgate
Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) is a vertically integrated next generation global content leader with a diversified presence in motion picture production and distribution, television programming and syndication, premium pay television networks, home entertainment, global distribution and sales, interactive ventures and games and location-based entertainment.
With the acquisition of Starz, Lionsgate adds to its portfolio of businesses the flagship STARZ premium pay network serving 24.3 million subscribers and the STARZ ENCOREplatform with 31 million subscribers. The combined company will operate five over-the-top (OTT) streaming services and the STARZ app delivering content directly to consumers.
The Company’s feature film business spans eight labels and includes the blockbuster Hunger Games franchise, the Now You See Me series, the critically-acclaimed box office hit La La Land, which earned a record-tying 14 Academy Award® nominations, the hit franchise sequel John Wick: Chapter Two, Hacksaw Ridge, Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween, CBS Films/Lionsgate’s Hell or High Water, Roadside Attractions' Manchester by the Sea, Codeblack Films’ breakout concert film Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain and Pantelion Films’ Instructions Not Included, the highest-grossing Spanish-language film ever released in the U.S.
One of the largest independent television businesses in the world, Lionsgate’s slate of premium quality series encompasses nearly 90 shows on more than 40 different networks. These include the ground-breaking Orange is the New Black, the fan favorite Nashville, the syndication success The Wendy Williams Show, the hit drama The Royals, the acclaimed Casual, the breakout success Greenleaf and hit STARZ series including Outlander, Black Sails, Survivor’s Remorse and Power, the second highest-rated premium pay television series of 2016.
Lionsgate's home entertainment business is an industry leader in box office-to-DVD and box office-to-VOD revenue conversion rates. Lionsgate handles a prestigious and prolific library of more than 16,000 motion picture and television titles that is an important source of recurring revenue and serves as a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and Starz brands are synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the world.
www.lionsgate.com
