A+E’s Roots grow in 50 territories

Roots will simulcast in the US on History, A&E and Lifetime

Broadcasters in more than 50 territories on five continents have acquired the eight-hour miniseries reboot Roots from distributor A+E Studios International.

SBS in Australia, TVNZ in New Zealand, Thai PBS in Thailand, D’Live in South Korea, Atres Media in Spain, HBO Europe, RTL in the Netherlands and Crave in Canada are among the networks to have acquired the show.

The series, which stars Forest Whitaker, Anna Paquin, Laurence Fishburne and Jonathan Rhys Meyers, is set to simulcast in the US on History, A&E and Lifetime, beginning on May 30.

Based on Alex Haley’s 1976 novel, Roots is a historical portrait of American slavery and recounts the journey of one family and their will to survive and ultimately carry on their legacy despite hardship.

The miniseries is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the company that produced the original adaptation for ABC in 1977.