FX secures Fear the Walking Dead in Oz

Foxtel-operated pay channel FX has bought the upcoming zombie drama Fear the Walking Dead.

The show will debut in Australia on Monday, August 24 at 1.30pm, with Foxtel pay TV subscribers with connected iQ set-top boxes or Foxtel Go ale to watch it via the Foxtel Anytime platform.

In 2016, Fear will also launch on Foxtel joint venture SVOD platform Presto, which this week acquired the Emmy-winning relationship drama The Affair from CBS Studios International.

With the Australian time zone ahead of most the rest of the world, the August 24 debut effectively means it will be simulcast with the US AMC broadcast and the international debut on AMC Global feeds in local territories.

“Fear The Walking Deadis the most anticipated new series of the year, and we are thrilled to bring the program to our subscribers exclusively,” said Foxtel CEO Richard Freudstein.

“In addition to screening the series express from the US on FX, we are also excited to offer our customers the ability to watch every episode on demand on Foxtel Anytime following each episode’s broadcast.”

Fear the Walking Dead is a spin-off of US cable ratings monster The Walking Dead. Set in LA, it tells the story of the early days of a zombie outbreak that quickly overwhelms humanity and destroys civilisation.

Season one runs to six episodes, with the newly-announced second expanding to 16.

Entertainment One handles international distribution of the show in territories where the AMC Global channel has not rolled out. In July, it sold the 52-minute drama to French pay TV channel Canal+.