FALLEN SHIELD AGENT TURNS UP IN SALEM,1637.

SHREVEPORT, La., Jan. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucy Lawless, Stuart Townsend, Joe Doyle and Oliver Bell have joined the cast of WGN America's hit supernatural thriller "Salem," which begins production on its second season today in Shreveport, LA. 

The new season of the series called "perversely entertaining" by The New York Times and "a sexy good time" by The Hollywood Reporter, centers on Salem's most powerful and ruthless witch Mary Sibley (Janet Montgomery, "Made In Jersey," "Human Target") as she faces off against new and old adversaries vying for control of the embattled 17^th-century village.  Created and written by award-winning Brannon Braga ("Cosmos," "24") and Adam Simon ("The Haunting in Connecticut"), the gripping one-hour drama, produced by Fox 21, will return to WGN America in April 2015.

Special recurring guest star, Lawless ("Xena: Warrior Princess," "Spartacus"), plays "Countess Marburg," one of the last remaining survivors of the legendary line of ancient German witches.
Townsend ("Betrayal," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen"), in a recurring guest role, portrays English aristocrat "Samuel Wainwright" – a doctor looking to uncover the secrets of "Salem" and keep his own from those who would seek to discover them.
Doyle ("Raw") joins the cast as a series regular in the role of "Baron Sebastian Marburg," the charming and cultured son of the Countess.

Also added as a series regular is Bell, who reprises his role as the long-lost son of Mary – long believed to be dead, but who was revealed to have been secretly kept alive by Mary's witches at the end of season one.

Returning as leading cast members are Janet Montgomery, Shane West ("Nikita," "ER") as Captain John Alden, Seth Gabel ("Fringe") as Cotton Mather, Ashley Madekwe ("Revenge") as Tituba, Tamzin Merchant ("Jane Eyre") as Anne Hale, Elise Eberle ("The Astronaut Farmer") as Mercy Lewis and Iddo Goldberg ("Mob City") as Isaac Walton.
The expansive "Salem" set, which covers 30 acres in Shreveport, LA, where the historic village has been recreated with astonishing detail, has been further expanded in season two to include a new port and intricate buildings in an area known as "Knocker's Hole."

Joining Braga, Simon and Prospect Park's Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz as executive producers are Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson, who previously served as showrunners on "Smallville" and co-showrunners on "Beauty and the Beast."  Also new to the creative team for "Salem" season two is Nick Copus ("Arrow," "Nikita"), who directs and serves as co-executive producer.  

WGN AMERICAN HOPES- UNDERGROUND RAILROAD AND WHITE TRASH/EVIL WALTONS SERIES, SCORE WITH VIEWERS.

Expanding its slate of original programming (From sleazy, Game of Thrones knockoff Salem & the critically acclaim Mad Men-like Manhattan), WGN America today announced its next straight-to-series order for the scripted drama "Titans," and the start of pre-production and a writers' room, with an eye toward a series order, for the scripted series "Underground."  Both series will be produced by Sony Pictures Television (SPT) and Tribune Studios for an expected 2015 premiere.  

"These projects, each exploring a world we find to be unique and fascinating, continue our aggressive expansion into original scripted programming," said Matt Cherniss, president and general manager, WGN America and Tribune Studios.

 "Everyone at WGN America is pleased to enter this next phase of our growth with Sony Pictures Television as an important partner on these projects, along with such talented creators and producers."

"WGN America has made a commitment to quality programming and we are happy that working together is a significant part of their growth strategy," said Zack Van Amburg, president of programming and production for SPT.  "High-quality original series have consistently helped establish channel brands with the audience, and WGN appreciates and takes that value proposition seriously," added Jamie Erlicht, president of programming and production for SPT.

For a slave living in the pre-Civil War South, the only road to freedom was a dangerous journey where failure often meant death. 

"Underground" follows the slaves who set foot on the fabled Underground Railroad, the secret network of men and women who risked their lives aiding them, and the mercenaries tasked with hunting them down at any cost.  "Underground" is created and written by Misha Green ("Sons of Anarchy," "Heroes") and Joe Pokaski ("Heroes," "CSI") who also serve as Executive Producers with Academy Award^®-winning writer Akiva Goldsman ("A Beautiful Mind," "I Am Legend") from Weed Road Pictures, along with Tory Tunnell ("King Arthur," "Holy Rollers") and Joby Harold ("King Arthur," "Edge of Tomorrow") from Safehouse Pictures. No stars or roles have been named,including the famed Harriet Tubman position.

A struggle for power and control set in the rugged and mysterious hills of Appalachia, "Titans" tells the story of the Farrell clan, a family of outsiders who've been in these parts since before anyone can remember.  Living off the grid and above the law on their mountaintop homestead, they'll protect their world and defend their way of life using any means necessary.  "Titans" is created and written by award-winning playwright Peter Mattei who also serves as Executive Producer with Emmy Award^®-winning Peter Tolan ("Rescue Me," "Analyze This") from Fedora Entertainment.
Emmy Award^®-winning actor Paul Giamatti ("John Adams," "Sideways") and Dan Carey ("All Is Bright") from Touchy Feely Films and Fedora Entertainment's Michael Wimer ("2012," "Rake").  WGN America has ordered 13 episodes of the one-hour drama.