Ultimate Dolph

Reelz Orders First Competition Reality Series, 'Race to the Scene'

Dolph Lundgren ("The Expendables") will host show that sends contestants to and from film locations.



For a network that bills itself as TV about Movies, it’s only fitting that the Reelz Channel’s first foray into competition reality will be with a show about the movies.

That series, Race to the Scene, will feature pairs of contestants who race to and from actual movie locations as they compete in challenges and stunts inspired by memorable movie moments. The effort, which will be hosted by action star Dolph Lundgren (The Expendables), is set to premiere in spring 2013.

“It’s a whole different path for us, but it fits into our filter of big stories, big stars and things that revolve around movies,” says Reelz channel chief executive Stan E. Hubbard, who ordered the project straight-to-series in his push to grow both his audience and his brand with splashy fare.

“Our strategy when we got into this business was to do big and different, and one of the ways to do that is to get in first and early with companies,” notes Justin Hochberg, whose Hochberg Ebersol Company is producing Reelz’ first competition effort just as it did TNT and USA’s reality forays with The Great Escape and The Moment, respectively.

“The way we see it, this isn’t a show for cinephiles or actors; this is a show for the person who goes to and loves big, popcorn movies.”

Hochberg and his partner Charlie Ebersol began talking to the network about the project a little over a year ago, and have since spent time selecting iconic scenes –think Bruce Willis jumping off Nakatomi Tower in Die Hard-- for which to recreate. Adds Ebersol, a self-declared “fan boy”: “The design of this show was to find the movies where you could know them just by seeing one frame.”

For Reelz, which was put on the map with the airing of the controversial Kennedys miniseries in 2011, Race is part of a larger push into the originals space. “We are approached, and pitched and sought out in ways that we never were before we aired The Kennedys,” says Hubbard, who adds of his commitment to continued expansion: “The people who create these big projects know now that we’re able and willing to step up in a big way to support big ideas and bring them to life on screen.”

News of Race’s launch comes some two months after the network announced it would be movingforward with a Meg Tilly drama vehicle entitled Bomb Girls, World Without End, an eight-part miniseries adapted from a best-selling Ken Follett novel and a docu-series entitled Beverly Hills Pawn, revolving around Yossi Dina’s Beverly Hills-based pawn shop.

“Beverly Hills is synonymous with Hollywood,” says Hubbard, explaining how the project fits into his growing brand, “and it’s going to tie to and have people that others around the country will recognize and know.”

DOLPH LUNDGREN TO HOST "RACE TO THE SCENE" NON-SCRIPTED COMPETITION SERIES ON REELZCHANNEL

Competitors Race to Recreate Iconic Movie Scenes in Series Premiering Spring 2013

(Albuquerque, NM) Wednesday, July 25, 2012 - ReelzChannel - TV About Movies(R) today announced the network's first non-scripted competition series, Race to the Scene, hosted by action-movie star Dolph Lundgren. Everyone loves escaping to the movies. The only thing more thrilling is being part of them. In Race to the Scene, pairs of contestants race to and from actual movie locations as they compete in challenges and stunts inspired by memorable movie moments. Race to the Scene is set to debut in spring 2013 and is already attracting attention from advertisers including Camping World and Good Sam which has made a commitment and is a new advertiser to Reelz. The Hochberg Ebersol Company will produce Race to the Scene. The series is created and executive produced by Justin Hochberg, Charlie Ebersol and Reelz.

"Non-scripted competition comes to Reelz with the perfect TV About Movies twist," said Stan E. Hubbard, CEO of ReelzChannel. "Race to the Scene taps directly into our shared experiences of the most talked-about scenes in movies with the added excitement of movie fans being challenged to recreate the action."

"As a kid I looked forward to blockbuster movies more than Christmas morning. When Stan and Reelz asked us to launch their first competition series about iconic movies it was my childhood dream come true," said Justin Hochberg, co-founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company. "Dolph Lundgren is a high-octane hero who will bring his own brand of awesome to Reelz viewers."

"Race to the Scene will transport movie lovers off their couch and into their favorite action scenes," said Charlie Ebersol, co-founder, The Hochberg Ebersol Company. "Mark my words, Dolph Lundgren will change non-scripted television forever... or at least until he does it again. He is the perfect iconic action star to lead this fast-paced, adrenalin-filled adventure that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats week after week."

Race to the Scene is currently casting. Email: racetothescene@Reelz.com

Race to the Scene adds to a stellar lineup of new series and mini-series recently announced by Reelz, including the scripted drama Bomb Girls starring Meg Tilly, the epic eight-part mini-series World Without End starring Cynthia Nixon and based on the novel from best-selling author Ken Follett, the four-part mini-series Barabbas as well as the docu-series Beverly Hills Pawn.


Read more at http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news/2012 ... caKjRsD.99

Mosquito wrote:Hehe, love the video. "Thank God I haven't been typecast." And the DeLorean... timeless!

Jox wrote:This is TV, I realized this might be big for him in terms of mainstream exposure. Can he a bring a level of awesomeness like he did to save a show such as the Swedish Eurovision qualification Melodifestivalen?