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WBC is a American Basic Cable and Satellite television channel that is owned by Warner Bros.WBC's programing consist of previously released Warner Brothers Motion pictures along with a limited amount of original programing.The channels name originally stood for "Warner Brothers Channel", but since 2012 the full name has been deemphasized as a result of major popularity
The Channel originally was a Premium cable network but in 2011 changed to basic cable as views started lowing since more customers dropped it due to lack in entertaining programing. After that the channel received a huge jump in views and quality of programing.At 2014 Comic Con they announced the channel would become Premium again but instead of charging the originally 15$ plus and the channel will still be in the basic channel package but will only require buyers to pay 2.99$ for the channel.
As of March 2014,WBC is Received by approximate 91,831,992 American Households that subscribe to pay television service.
History
Launch (2008-2009)
WBC Launched as Warner Brothers Channel on May 1,2008 as a premium cable network that focused on movies disturbed by Warner Bros. they were usually shown in the afternoon but at night would show the most popular Warner Bros films uncut and unrated and depending on the event would show marathon's of Warner Bros movies.
WBC had launched with 4 TV series Hunters, Juvenile, Star Gaze and inside Warner Bros. Hunters is the only show that stilled aired and stuck with the channel till it's end in 2015. As the shows got bad reviews with the exception of Hunters which was nominated for an Emmy that year, Rest were excepted to be cancelled as they renewed Hunters and Juvenile but cancelled Star Gazed and turned Inside Warner Bros. to an exclusive online show..Also that year WBC had announced a sequel series to American Psycho and promised to releases the show before the movies 10 year anniversary or the novels 20th anniversary. American Psycho was set to premiere by Late 2009 but after filming ceased summer 2008 Developer Aaron Sorkin did not like how the season went out and asked to extend the premiere date to 2011 as he had wanted to re-write and re film the series and as most cast was against it they decided to cancel the show entirely.
By the end of 2008 WBC had 22,000 subscribers and had promised for more original programming in 2009.In 2009 They announced 8 new shows to premiere on the channel one being developed was an adaption of John Buntin's book L.A. Noir: The Struggle for the Soul of America's Most Seductive CityJuvenile and Hunters both came for an Season 2 along with new shows Roar,Killer,Kids Rule and Trintiy.All 4 shows were cancelled.The show put John Buntin's book adaption on pause and gave it the title L.A. Vices and had decided to stray away from an adaption but to take elements from the book and make their own original series.Later at Comic Con 2009 hey premiered the trailer of American Psycho as the show with a new leading actor and a majority of the previous cast came back Adam Brody was re-casted as Patrick Bateman Jr the protagonist since other names were in for the role of Patrick Bateman Jr actors Daniel Radcliffe,Jamie Blackley, and Aiden Tuner were considered for the role but Adam Brody got it and Jason Bateman would return but as a supporting Character instead
By the end of the year though they now had 32,000 subscribers and an online petition was started to force the network to become a basic network channel and for a need 75,000 names needed by December 2009, They had 36,000 names signed though many expected L.A Vices and Hunters to go to CW since many thought they would announce the cancellation of the channel instead on December 29, Warner Brother announced the channel had been demoted and would become an basic cable channel all the subscribers would not have to pay for the month of December or January and the channel would launch as basic cable in February 2010.
Rise in Popularity (2010-2011)
With the fact of the channel being basic cable Hunters Popularity had skyrocketed and WBC had a jump in views.They then started showing previous Warner Bros TV shows as they added Friends and Seinfield, and Children's Hospital, Though later that year Adult Swim would pick up the show for it's second season. American Psycho was renewed for a second and third season after the enormous success of the first season.L.A. Vices was released to favorable reviews and was renewed for a second season as well.As AMC's Walking Dead had gotten favorable reviews and ratings Warner Bros announced there "Project Z" was revealed to be a rival TV show to the Walking Dead with the show The Dead that would premiere in 2011. The Dead premiered in Spring of 2011 and became a critical hit and the second season was released in fall of 2011.
Hunters,L.A. Vices and American Psycho
The channel's first Drama series Hunters, a action drama about a group of Hunters who go and hunt and take down demons living on the surface, was released in 2008 and it was loved by fans and reviewers a like. It has then become a staple to the channel and has been nominated for multiple awards including The Golden Globes, Emmy's , Peabody and Saturn Awards. The series ended their run in 2014 with more then 15 million views but a spinoff series was announced to be starting Andrew Garfield as the protagonist, Daniel Jones, son Jeremy who had died and came back in the finale. In 2009 American Psycho was released, a sequel series to Mary Haron's 2000 film, it follows Patrick Baetmen's son, Patrick Batmen Jr. who is an Ad man at Pierce&Pierce. It has garnered a cult following and critical success having being the first show on the network to be nominated 4 times in a row for Best Drama Series at the Emmy's. L.A Vices was released in 2011, It is a Neo-Noir detective drama about LAPD officer Roy King as they stop the most corrupt in L.A. It has received critical acclaim for it's writing and acting and is considered one the best telling of the Genre in the 21st century.
Just a Little Bit,More (2012-Present)
As they have began getting more popular with their already 3 trademark shows they decide to expand their variety and repackage the channel, 2012 during the Season 4 finale of American Psycho they revealed there new slogan "Just a Little Bit, More". In 2012 also saw the birth in discussion series about each of their flagship shows which would air after an episode.
in 2012 summer,WBC premiered psychological thriller Crowfield, the show came to good reviews and the show was renewed for a second season at the last second. 2012 also saw the debut of the Unites. The show was cancelled after it's season 1 consisting of 5 episodes.The channel signed a deal with Netflix that for all of their original programming 2 months before the shows new season premiered they would add the previous season so fans could catch up on the series before the new season.
in Fall of 2012,Between hours 4 and 9am they would start showing episodes of previously cancelled shows on the channel as they stopped showing movies.
in Early 2013, saw the birth of miniseries InHuman's which since then many fans have been pushing for a full length series and a new season. In Summer 2013 the channel announced plans to develop the miniseries to a full length. Later that year when asked about the possibility lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal said that their are not talks of a full length series and that they have no approached him about it. At Comic Con the channel said that development had ceased for a full length series. That same summer the channel announced that Season 6 of Hunters would be it's last. American Psycho was also renewed for a 7th and 8th Season.
In Fall 2013 ,The channel re-newed The Dead for a 4th and 5th season. The Channel also announced the premiere of more unscripted shows such as Inside the Console, A series about the making of video games and the process of releasing them and each season would consist of 6 episodes with each season focusing on 1 game. Season 1 focused on the releasing of high anticipated 2013 video game The Last of Us. The channel also announced they would be developing a Tomb Raider TV series, which would be greatly inspired but the successful 2013 video game.
in 2014 they announced the American adaption of Britain comedy,The Peep Show the adaption would star Joseph Gordon-Levitt & Seth Rogan as Levitt previously guest starred as an antagonist on American Psycho.In March 2014 after a dispute over view rights between WBC and USA Network WBC Gave up the rights of viewing Law and Order:Miami.During the casting of The Tomb Raider show the channel had an issue with budget and the direction and after a meeting with Lionsgate they had decide to cancel development of the show. Emma Watson was seen as the ideal Lara Croft,
At 2014 Comic Con the channel announced that they would be switching back to Premium cable but would still be included in a basic cable package and they would just have to pay an extra 2.99$. They also announced an companion app that would be free along with a subscription to the channel. The channel also revealed that they would be adapting 1994 Novel Gun, with Occasional Music into a miniseries which would premiere in 2015. The channel also announced they will be making a new original series The Artist and will be developing Fables into a full-length TV series.
In 2015, Joesph Gordon-Levitt confirmed on his twitter that talks fell through with the Peep Show and that it is no longer being worked on and if it is he is not a part of it. Seth Rogen also confirmed that he was no longer attached to the project as well. The channel announced talks in making an Interstellar TV series to expand the movie into the a Franchise. Recently both sides have expressed interest in doing so, Matthew McConaughey recently stated that he has not been approached for a TV series about the movie.
Programing
Though still showing movies WBC Has still had line of Original series since the starting of the channel and in recent years has became known for it's programing.The bringing of Hunters to basic cable and then L.A. Vice the next year along side American Psycho put WBC in the same category with AMC of having a reputation on par with Premium cable networks HBO and Showtime.
Current Programming
Scripted
Unscripted
- Inside Warner Bros (2008-'''')
- After Psycho (2010-'''')
- Inside the Console (2013-""")
- After Wayne (2011-2015)
- After Dead (2012-'''')
- After Hunters (2010-2014)
Acquired
- Friends
- Senifield
- CSI: Miami
- Law and Order:Special Victims Unit
Future Programming
Scripted
- Interstellar (Fall 2015)
- Gun, With Occasional Music (Summer 2015)
Unscripted
Developmental Programming
Pilot Stage
- The Artist
- Fables
Script Stage
- The Projects
- America's Home
- 92'
Former Programming
Miniseries
- Sainty (2011)
- Inhuman (2013)
Scripted
- Hunters (2008-2014)
- Star Gaze (2008)
- Juvenile (2008-2009)
- Law and Order:Miami (2012-2014)
- Roar (2009)
- Killer (2009)
- Kids Rules (2009)
- Trinity (2009)
- Unities (2012)