Bell Media Strikes Lightning in "Project Latte" Deal For ARROW and THE FLASH

â€" In an exclusive streaming deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, Canada's premium TV streaming service to be home to two of the most-watched series on television â€"

"ARROW has given DC Comics the best on-screen superhero franchise."Â
â€" Time Magazine

"THE FLASH should be a long-run kick."
â€" Entertainment Weekly

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TORONTO, Nov. 26, 2014 /CNW/ - "Project Latte" is coming to Starling City and Central City. Bell Media announced today it has hit the bull's eye with an exclusive streaming agreement with Warner Bros. International Television that will bring Top 20 superhero TV series ARROW and THE FLASH to its subscription on-demand video streaming service, code-named "Project Latte." Based on the DC Comics characters, ARROW and THE FLASH are among the most-watched television programs in Canada. The first titles announced for "Project Latte's" action-packed Superhero Collection, the two programs will be featured in a massive cross-over event Dec. 2 and 3 on CTV.

**Media Note** Photography available online at BellMediaPR.ca.

Following billionaire playboy and secret vigilante Oliver Queen, ARROW was an instant hit when it premiered in 2012 and remains a Top 16 program in its third season on CTV. All 46, one-hour episodes from the series' first and second seasons will immediately be available when "Project Latte" launches in December.

In its debut season this fall on CTV, THE FLASH has become a monster hit right out of the gate, currently ranking as the third most-watched program overall in Canada among all key adult demos with an average weekly audience of 2.7 million total viewers. The one-hour drama series about the Fastest Man Alive will become available on "Project Latte" when its debut season concludes in 2015.

"With three out of the Top 4 most-watched programs in Canada superhero-themed, there is clearly a demand for this genre of programming," said Mike Cosentino, Senior Vice-President, Programming, Bell Media. "We are delighted to join forces with DC Comics and Warner Bros. to bring these two hit franchises to Project Latte subscribers."

ARROW
After being gone for five years, during which he suffered unimaginable ordeals, billionaire Oliver Queen returned home to Starling City with a mysterious agenda and a set of new skills that he uses in a war on crime in this hard-hitting action series. Reinventing the DC Comics character for a modern-day audience, the Arrow is not a super hero ... but a hero -- every bit as formidable as the criminals he's hunting. Determined to right his city's wrongs and sworn to bring justice to those who have corrupted it, Oliver Queen, a.k.a. THE ARROW (Stephen Amell), -- with the help of his iron-fisted right hand, John Diggle (David Ramsey), the tech-savvy Felicity Smoak (Emily Bett Rickards) and the newest member of the team, Roy Harper (Colton Haynes) -- narrowly defeats the vengeful Slade Wilson (Manu Bennett), his onetime ally and mentor on the island of Lian Yu. But like all wars, there are casualties. Sacrificing herself for her children, Moira Queen (Susanna Thompson) falls at the hand of Deathstroke, sending Oliver's sister, Thea Queen (Willa Holland), into self-imposed exile with her biological father, Malcolm Merlyn (John Barrowman). Now, to honour his fallen friends and family and protect the people he loves, Oliver must rededicate himself to his cause -- to become a beacon of hope for those most in need, and a weapon of justice against those who prey upon them. He is The ARROW.

Also starring Katie Cassidy and Paul Blackthorne, ARROW is produced by Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg and Sarah Schechter. The hit series is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

THE FLASH
From the ARROW creative team of executive producers Greg Berlanti and Andrew Kreisberg and director David Nutter (GAME OF THRONES), THE FLASH is a fast-paced super hero drama that follows the high-speed adventures of the Fastest Man Alive. Written by Berlanti, Kreisberg and DC Entertainment's Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns, the action drama follows Central City Police scientist Barry Allen (Grant Gustin, CSI), an everyday guy with the heart of a hero and the genuine desire to help others. Standing still emotionally since the day his mother was murdered (and his father unjustly jailed for the crime), Barry was taken in as a child by the investigating Detective Joe West (Jesse L. Martin, LAW & ORDER SVU) and raised in a cop's home alongside West's super smart daughter (and Barry's dream girl) Iris (Candice Patton, CSI). But when an unexpected and devastating accident at the S.T.A.R. Labs Particle Accelerator facility strikes Barry, he finds himself suddenly charged with the incredible power to move at super speeds.Â

Also starring Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes and Tom Cavanagh, THE FLASH is produced by Bonanza Productions, Inc. in association with Berlanti Productions and Warner Bros. Television, with executive producers Berlanti, Kreisberg, Nutter and Sarah Schechter. Based on the characters from DC Comics, the new series is distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. International Television Distribution.

Today's announcement is the latest in a series of programming confirmations by Canada's premium TV subscription on-demand video streaming service, code-named "Project Latte" and set to launch in December. Devoted exclusively to the best content on television, the service will feature thousands of hours of content representing TV's top premium brands, including the entire off-air library of HBO's iconic programming catalogue; an unmatchable comedy slate headlined by SEINFELD and featuring every single episode of MONTY PYTHON'S FLYING CIRCUS; as well as TV programming not found anywhere else in Canada, including MANHATTAN. Additional details about "Project Latte" - including its final name - will be announced in the weeks to come.

About "Project Latte":
Created for TV lovers and devoted exclusively to television, "Project Latte" is Canada's premium subscription on-demand video streaming service, providing the most robust lineup of superior television content in the country. From TV's most-acclaimed dramas and beloved comedies to documentaries, music, and factual programming, "Project Latte" will feature more than 10,000 hours of premium non-kids TV programming, with more than 350 unique TV titles. Designed to complement traditional television and available to all TV providers, to date "Project Latte" will be offered via set-top box to TELUS Optik TV, Bell Fibe TV, and Bell Aliant FibreOP TV subscribers at launch. The service will also be available via mobile apps, the web, game consoles, and smart TVs. Set to launch later this year, "Project Latte" is from Bell Media, Canada's premier multi-media company.

About Warner Bros. International Television
Warner Bros. International Television Distribution is one of the world's largest distributors of feature films, television programs and animation to the international television marketplace (broadcast, pay cable, basic cable, satellite, pay-per-view, subscription video-on-demand, digital platforms, etc.). It licenses some 61,000 hours of programming (including more than 6,500 features and 3,000 television programs, comprised of tens of thousands of individual episodes), dubbed or subtitled in more than 40 languages, to telecasters and cablecasters in more than 175 countries. For more information, please log on to www.wbitv.com.

About Bell Media:
With passion and an unrelenting commitment to excellence, Bell Media creates content and builds brands that entertain, inform, engage, and inspire audiences through the platforms of their choice. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media. Bell Media owns 30 local television stations led by CTV, Canada's #1 television network; 35 specialty channels, including TSN and RDS, Canada's most-watched specialty channels in English and French; and four pay TV services, including The Movie Network and Super Écran. Bell Media is also Canada's largest radio broadcaster, with 106 licensed radio stations in 54 markets across Canada. Bell Media owns Astral Out-of-Home, one of Canada's most dynamic and innovative out-of-home advertising companies with a network of more than 9,500 advertising faces in Québec, Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. Bell Media also operates more than 200 websites; delivers TV Everywhere with its innovative GO video streaming services, including CTV GO, TMN GO, and TSN GO; holds an equity stake in digital start-up Hubub; is partners in Cirque du Soleil Media, a joint venture with Cirque du Soleil; and owns Dome Productions Inc., a multi-platform production company. Bell Media is part of BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. For more on Bell Media, please visit www.bellmedia.ca.

Audience Information Source: Numeris (BBM Canada), Fall 2014: Sept. 22 - Nov. 9 , 2014, key adult demos, final data.

SOURCE Bell Media