Sunday, September 8, 2024

Crave Celebrates 10 Years of Streaming Success, Leading the Canadian Market with Unmatched Content and Expanded Distribution

As Crave approaches its 10th-anniversary milestone, it has solidified its position as the leading Canadian-owned and operated bilingual streaming service. Boasting a growing and extensive library of captivating content including a selection of Crave Originals, top-calibre movies and series, along with expanded distribution on dozens of platforms including Chromecast, Apple TV, Roku, and most recently, Amazon Prime Video, Crave continues to grow bigger, and better, offering an exceptional streaming experience.

“A decade of progress has cemented Crave’s position as the most-watched and most-distributed Canadian streaming service,” said Sean Cohan, President of Bell Media. “At the heart of Crave’s resounding success lies its commitment to delivering exceptional content. With an exclusive collection of HBO and Max titles, a library of fan-adored series, blockbuster movies, and thousands of hours of captivating original programming in both official languages, Crave is set up for continued growth.”

Crave announced a lineup of new series coming to its platform, including:

EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK (July)

From Emmy®-winning executive producer John Wells (ER, THE WEST WING, SHAMELESS) and writer Sherman Payne (SHAMELESS, CHARM CITY KINGS), with director Damian Marcano (WINNING TIME: THE RISE OF THE LAKERS DYNASTY) helming multiple episodes, EMPEROR OF OCEAN PARK is a thrilling, suspenseful take on author and law professor Stephen L. Carter’s best-selling novel. Set in the worlds of politics, elite academia, and the beaches of Martha’s Vineyard, the series centers on Talcott “Tal” Garland, an esteemed law professor whose quiet life is shattered when his father, Judge Oliver Garland (Oscar® and Emmy® winner Forest Whitaker, GODFATHER OF HARLEM), dies of an apparent heart attack. The nature of the judge’s death is questioned by Tal’s sister, Mariah, a former journalist and inveterate conspiracy theorist, who believes that the judge, a failed Black nominee to the Supreme Court, met with foul play.

Conan Without Borders (Fall)

Conan takes his uncanny humour to different places around the world. Starring Conan O’Brien.

GEORGIE & MANDY’S FIRST MARRIAGE (Fall)

From executive producers/writers Chuck Lorre, Steven Molaro, and Steve Holland, the creative team behind THE BIG BANG THEORY and YOUNG SHELDON, this sequel follows YOUNG SHELDON’s Georgie (Montana Jordan) and Mandy (Emily Osment) as they raise their young family in Texas while navigating the challenges of adulthood, parenting, and marriage.

HAPPY’S PLACE (Fall)

Bobbi (Reba McEntire) inherits her father’s restaurant and is less than thrilled to discover that she has a new business partner in the half-sister she never knew she had. The series stars Reba McEntire, Belissa Escobedo, Melissa Peterman, Pablo Castelblanco, Tokala Black Elk and Rex Linn. Writer Kevin Abbott executive produces with Michael Hanel, Mindy Schultheis, Julie Abbott and Reba McEntire. HAPPY’S PLACE is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group.

RESCUE: HI-SURF (Fall)

From prolific, award-winning executive producer John Wells (SHAMELESS, THE WEST WING, ER) and executive producer/writer Matt Kester (ANIMAL KINGDOM, OUTSIDERS), RESCUE: HI-SURF is an action-packed drama that follows the personal and professional lives of the heavy-water lifeguards who patrol and protect the North Shore of O’ahu — the most famous and dangerous stretch of coastline in the world. Each episode will feature these dedicated, heroic, and adrenaline-seeking first-responders saving lives in the difficult and often life-threatening conditions of Hawaii’s Seven Mile Miracle.

ST. DENIS MEDICAL (Fall)

A mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity. The cast includes Wendi McLendon-Covey, David Alan Grier, Allison Tolman, Josh Lawson, Mekki Leeper, Kahyun Kim and Kaliko Kauahi. The series is executive produced and written by Justin Spitzer and Eric Ledgin. Simon Heuer also executive produces with director Ruben Fleischer (pilot only). ST. DENIS MEDICAL is produced by Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, in association with Spitzer Holding Company.

INSOMNIA (Fall)

INSOMNIA, based on the novel by bestselling author Sarah Pinborough, follows career woman, Emma, whose life takes a turn a couple of weeks before her fortieth birthday. Emma stops sleeping – just as her mother had done right before suffering a violent psychotic breakdown on the night of her own fortieth birthday. Emma’s mum always said that she shared the same “bad blood,” and now Emma’s terrified it’s true. As events worsen, Emma’s world starts to unravel and she realizes that only by investigating the truth of her painful past can she find the answers to her present and prevent tragedy from striking a second time. Cast includes Vicky McLure (LINE OF DUTY) and Tom Cullen (THE GOLD).

Long Bright River (2025)

Based on Liz Moore’s New York Times bestselling novel, LONG BRIGHT RIVER is a suspense thriller series that tells the story of Mickey (Amanda Seyfried), a police officer who patrols a Philadelphia neighborhood hard-hit by the opioid crisis. When a series of murders begins in the neighborhood, Mickey realizes that her personal history might be related to the case.

DOPE GIRLS (2025)

It is the end of World War One. As Britain celebrates the Armistice on the streets of London men return from the front expecting to rejoin society and pick up where they left off, but a newly empowered generation of women are loath to simply return to the kitchen. Using Soho’s expanding illicit underground clubland scene as their playground women explore previously unimaginable opportunities on either side of the law. DOPE GIRLS depicts in visceral, delicious detail the birth of the modern nightlife industry guided and gilded by hard fought female endeavour.

Crave is also the Canadian home of HBO/Max Originals, including the most talked-about upcoming and returning series:

  • Max Original series HACKS (Season 3, available now)
  • HBO Original series HOUSE OF THE DRAGON (Season 2, June 16)
  • HBO Original series INDUSTRY (Season 3, August 11)
  • Max Original series THE PENGUIN (Fall)
  • Max Original series DUNE: PROPHECY (FALL)
  • HBO Original series THE LAST OF US (Season 2, 2025)
  • HBO Original series THE WHITE LOTUS (Season 3, 2025)
  • Max Original series AND JUST LIKE THAT… (Season 3, 2025)
  • Max Original series WELCOME TO DERRY (working title)
  • HBO Original series A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms: The Hedge Knight

Crave Originals Making an Impact Original content is central to Crave’s content strategy and success, featuring great stories which resonate at home and abroad. Recent highlights include:

  • Popular Canadian Originals (Shoresy, Late Bloomer, The Trades, In Memoriam, BELLEFLEUR, L’EMPREUR, and Canada’s Drag Race) all rank in the Top 20 titles on Crave during release weeks for subs watching.
  • True crime docuseries Billionaire Murders was the top Canadian series launch ever for first week streams.
  • THE TRADES was Crave’s #1 scripted Canadian series launch ever, for first week streams, and is currently the #1 Canadian show on Crave in 2024 based on unique subscribers who watched.
  • In Memoriam is the #1 French language Crave series, ever, for first week streams season average.
  • Bell Media Original productions such as CANADA’S DRAG RACE, LETTERKENNY LITTLE BIRD, SHORESY, and WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE (EVEN JAY BARUCHEL), are currently available in more than 100 markets worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Australia, Asia, Europe, Middle East, and more.
  • Crave’s critically acclaimed series, LITTLE BIRD, triumphed at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards, securing 13 wins, including the prestigious title of Best TV Drama, leading all other television series in the competition.

Upcoming Crave Original series include:

  • Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs the World (S2, Summer)
  • Made for TV with Boman Martinez-Reid (July 12)
  • Don’t Even (Summer)
  • So Long, Marianne (Fall)
  • The Rebuild: Inside the Montreal Canadiens (Fall)
  • The Office Movers (Fall)
  • Canada’s Drag Race (Fall)
  • Le retour d’Anna Brodeur (Fall)
  • OD Tentations au soleil (Fall)
  • Être un Hilton (Fall)
  • Saint-Justine : Salle D’opération (Fall)
  • Slaycation (Winter)
  • BON COP BAD COP (2025)
  • Double Jeu (2025)
  • Shoresy (S4, 2025)
  • Late Bloomer (S2, 2025)
  • The Trades (S2, 2025)
  • Drag Brunch Saved My Life (2025)
  • Super Team Canada (2025)
  • SisterS (S2, 2025)

For more details on Crave Original productions, click here. Crave is also the streaming destination for:

  • The DC universe
  • The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
  • Blockbuster movies including last summer’s smash hit BARBIE
  • Iconic library series such as FRIENDS, THE OFFICE and IT’S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA
  • Big-buzz series including YELLOWJACKETS
  • The most captivating competition series including THE TRAITORS, LOVE ISLAND, and RUPAUL’S DRAG RACE.

Available on a Variety of Platforms Crave continues to expand its reach with ad-supported offers, and is available for purchase through Prime Video Channels in Canada, Crave.ca, digital media players including Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, Hisense TV, select LG Smart TVs, select Samsung Smart TVs, PlayStation, Roku, and Xbox One.

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