FX Orders Drama 'The Bridge' to Series

Show about detectives tracking down killer on U.S./Mexican border to bow in July

By Tim Baysinger -- Broadcasting & Cable, 2/12/2013 1:17:19 PM

FX continues to bolster its drama slate, ordering The Bridge to series on Tuesday.

Production will begin in April with the first of 13 episodes slated to premiere in July.

The Bridge, based on the Danish series Bron, stars Demián Bichir and Diane Kruger as two detectives on the U.S./Mexican border -- one from each country -- who must work together to hunt down a serial killer. The Bridge was adapted by Meredith Stiehm (Homeland) and Elwood Reid. The two worked together on the former CBS procedural drama Cold Case, for which Stiehm was creator/showrunner.

The series will be a coproduction between FX Productions and Shine America. Along with Stiehm and Reid, Shine America's Carolyn G. Bernstein and Filmlance's Lars Blomgren will serve as executive producers. Shine International will distribute.

"For years networks having been trying develop a drama series set on the U.S.-Mexican border without any success," said FX president and GM John Landgraf. "I'm thrilled to say that Meredith Stiehm and Elwood Reid have become the first to crack that creative code and they have done so magnificently,"

Adding to the network's drama slate has been a big focus for Landgraf, who said during last summer's TCA press tour that he wanted to launch two dramas by this summer. FX premiered spy drama The Americans last month.