Acorn TV's New Miniseries - Jamaica Inn - Makes Its US

The Premier British TV Streaming Service in North America
Exclusively premieres the acclaimed BBC period drama
Starring Jessica Brown Findlay ( Downton Abbey) , Matthew McNulty, and Sean Harris

" A brilliantly executed thriller" – British Vogue

"Superb" – The Observer

"Beautifully shot" – The Guardian

"Lots to enjoy…Jessica Brown Findlay and Matthew McNulty have an all-too-rare screen chemistry." – The Independent

SILVER SPRING, Md., Feb. 18, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Following the U.S. Premieres of the final season of Foyle's War and Jamie Dornan 's epic period drama New Worlds , Acorn TV will feature the U.S. debut of Jamaica Inn beginning March 16, 2015. Adapted from Daphne du Maurier 's acclaimed gothic novel, the three-part BBC period drama will premiere on consecutive Mondays (Mar. 16, Mar. 23, and Mar. 30) on Acorn TV, the premier British TV streaming service in North America from RLJ Entertainment (Nasdaq: RLJE ). Set in 1821 against a backdrop of windswept Cornish moors, Jamaica Inn tells the story of a woman forced to live with a group of smugglers after her mother dies. Lavishly directed by BAFTA winner Philippa Lowthorpe ( Call the Midwife ) and adapted by Emma Frost ( The White Queen ), Jamaica Inn stars Jessica Brown Findlay (Lady Sybil Bransonon Downton Abbey) , Matthew McNulty ( The Paradise, The Syndicate) , Ben Daniels ( House of Cards) , Joanne Whalley ( The Borgias, Gossip Girl, Singing Detective) , Shirley Henderson ( Harry Potter) , and Sean Harris ( The Borgias, Mission Impossible 5) .

After her mother dies, Mary (Jessica Brown Findlay) is forced to travel to the ominous Jamaica Inn in Cornwall to stay with her downtrodden Aunt Patience (Joanne Whalley) and her violent husband Joss (Sean Harris). With Joss the ringleader of a dangerous group of smugglers, Mary's moral resolve is immediately challenged, complicated further by her attraction to Joss' enigmatic brother Jem (Matthew McNulty).

Director Philippa Lowthorpe said of Daphne du Maurier's novel,"I love 'Jamaica Inn' because it is an exhilarating adventure story set in a wild landscape with brilliant characters, and at its heart is Mary Yellan – a fantastic female heroine."

Miguel Penella, Chief Executive Officer of RLJ Entertainment, Inc., said, "Featuring an incredible cast led by Jessica Brown Findlay, Jamaica Inn is a superb, lavish adaptation of a classic tale of danger and romance. With Acorn TV's rapidly growing fan base of British drama and mystery lovers, we're delighted to offer them its U.S. Premiere."

Daphne du Maurier's "Jamaica Inn" novel was published in 1936 and adapted into a film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1939. Many of du Maurier's works have been adapted into films, including her novel "Rebecca," whose adaptation won the Best Picture Oscar in 1941, and the short story "The Birds"; both directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

RLJ Entertainment's Acorn brand will also syndicate the series to public television stations and release Jamaica Inn on DVD this summer. Distributed by Fremantle Media Enterprises, Jamaica Inn broadcast on BBC One in the U.K. in 2014.

Acorn TV currently features the U.S. premieres of the final season of the beloved mystery series Foyle's War starring Michael Kitchen ,and the British period drama New Worlds starring Jamie Dornan ( Fifty Shades of Grey) .

Available at www.Acorn.TV , via the iTunes App store, its popular Roku channel, and Samsung Smart TVs/Blu-ray players, Acorn TV is the first British TV focused streaming service in North America. Given the limited broadcast options for U.S. viewers to watch first rate international programs, Acorn TV offers U.S. fans the opportunity to not only stream many of their favorite series but, more importantly, discover new and classic programs previously unavailable to U.S. and Canadian audiences. Acorn TV features a growing catalog of mysteries, dramas, documentaries, and comedies for catch-up viewing and discovery of new series, with no set end dates. 2014 U.S. premieres included A Place to Call Home, HBO Asia's Serangoon Road, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries , Agatha Christie's Poirot: Curtain , and new episodes from Jack Irish, Midsomer Murders ,and George Gently . Acorn TV offers a free 30-day trial and thereafter is just $4.99/month or $49.99/year.

Called the "chief curators of the best Brit TV" by TIME magazine, RLJ Entertainment's Acorn brand holds exclusive North American distribution rights to many of the top British programs, which are available for broadcast television, digital streaming, and in lavishly packaged DVDs/Blu-rays. RLJ Entertainment also owns a majority share in Agatha Christie Ltd, which manages Agatha Christie's extensive literary works including characters Hercule Poirot, Tommy and Tuppence, and Miss Marple.

RLJ Entertainment, Inc. (Nasdaq: RLJE ) is a premier independent owner, developer, licensee, and distributor of entertainment content and programming in primarily North America, the United Kingdom, and Australia. RLJE is a leader in numerous genres via its owned and distributed brands such as Acorn (British TV), Image (feature films, stand-up comedy), UMC (urban), Acacia (fitness), Athena (documentaries), and Madacy (gift sets). These titles are distributed in multiple formats including broadcast television (including satellite and cable), theatrical and non-theatrical, DVD, Blu-Ray, digital download, and digital streaming.

Via its relationship with Agatha Christie Limited, a company that RLJE owns 64% of, RLJE manages the intellectual property and publishing rights to some of the greatest works of mystery fiction, including stories of the iconic sleuths Miss Marple and Poirot. RLJE also owns all rights to the hit UK mystery series Foyle's War .

RLJE leverages its management experience to acquire, distribute and monetize existing and original content for its many distribution channels, including its branded digital subscription channels, Acorn TV, Acacia TV, and UMC, and engages distinct audiences with programming that appeals directly to their unique viewing interests. Through its proprietary e-commerce web sites and print catalogs for the Acorn and Acacia brands, RLJE has direct contacts and billing relationships with millions of consumers.

RLJE Press Contact: Chad Campbell, 301.830.6203