El Rey Network Picks Up Garcia’s “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series” for a Second Season

It’s From Dusk Till Dawn and beyond for Jesse Garcia and his co-stars…

El Rey Network has picked up the Mexican/Spanish-American actor’s new series From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series for a 13-episode second season. Garcia portrays Texas Ranger Freddie Gonzalez on the series.

Jesse Garcia

The announcement comes only two weeks after the network’s first original series debuted.

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series has been earning bank  from distribution pacts, including a deal with Netflix, which carries the series in key international territories and is on board for Season 2, and a DVD/EST agreement with eOne for the U.S. and Canada, which makes From Dusk Till Dawn episodes available on Amazon, iTunes, Sony Playstation, Xbox, Vudu, Google Play, Cinemanow, Blackberry and Target Ticket after their El Rey premiere.

“As the television landscape becomes even more crowded, it’s important for El Rey Network to have a recurring and memorable franchise that speaks to our audience and allows us to break away from the noise of all the competition,” El Rey vice chair Scott Sassa said. “From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series is most certainly that kind of property and we are thrilled with the response from our affiliate partners, advertisers, viewers and the international community.”

From Dusk Till Dawn is based on the cult classic film of the same name by the network’s co-founder Robert Rodriguez, who created the series and directed four of the first season’s installments.

“This is a truly unique property and one that has really resonated for viewers,” he said. “It has been a joy to bring these characters back to life and have the opportunity to take our storytelling to a whole new place.”

In addition to Garcia, From Dusk Till Dawn’s international cast includes D.J. Cotrona, Zane Holtz, Eiza González, Wilmer Valderrama, Adrianne Palicki, Jake Busey, Don Johnson, Madison Davenport, Lane Garrison, Robert Patrick, and Brandon Soo Hoo.

Rodriguez Partnering with Mark Burnett to Bring Lucha Libre to American Television

Calling Mil Máscaras! Robert Rodriguez is ready to luchar

The 45-year-old Mexican American filmmaker’s El Rey Network has partnered with television producer Mark Burnett to bring Lucha Libre wrestling, and a new league, to the United States.

Robert Rodriguez

It all begins with a weekly one-hour series featuring a new Lucha Libre AAA league, premiering on El Rey Network in the second half of 2014, El Rey vice chairman Scott Sassa announced at the TV Press Tour 2014.

Lucha Libre

Burnett’s One Three Media is partnering with the leading lucha libre league in Mexico, Lucha Libre AAA, and FactoryMade Ventures. Also joining, through their interests in Lucha Libre AAA, are Antonio Cue Sanchez-Navarro and Latin America’s largest production group, Alex Garcia’s AG Studios.

“I’m at the point in my career where I could probably try anything. I’ve earned that right,” Burnett told TV critics at the press tour. “This is building a bona fide sport within America. Clearly the Hispanic culture is really growing (here),” he said, noting it’s the No. 2 most popular sport in Mexico, behind only soccer. “Why wouldn’t you bring Mexico’s No. 2 sport to America? This is a long-term, big play for us.”

Storylines and masks are characteristic of the sport Burnett said, explaining that the logline for the U.S. introduction revolves around five of the sport’s stars who’ve discovered a secret plot that’s going to destroy the very foundation of the sport and they’ve been exiled to America.

In addition to launching the weekly series, the new venture will develop monthly and quarterly specials and live pay-per-view lucha libre events, as well as potential merchandising, licensing and product integration opportunities for the league.

Lucha libre marks a return to arena-based sports events for the award-winning Burnett, who previously produced five seasons of the unscripted boxing series The Contender.

El Rey Network, is the recently launched 24 hour English-language entertainment network founded by Rodriguez.

It targets renegades 18-49 with adrenaline-infused content including original signature dramas, feature films, grindhouse genre, cult classic action, horror/sci fi and next generation sports.