News

Acorn TV’s fan-favorite period detective drama, Murdoch Mysteries, returns Monday, February 10 in the U.S. with new Season 18 episodes dropping weekly on Mondays.

Set in Toronto in the early 1900s during the age of invention, Detective William Murdoch uses radical forensic techniques to solve some of the city’s most gruesome murders.

The new season, consisting of 22 episodes, including the series’ 300th episode, will see a bevy of notable guest stars such as Countess Luann de Lesseps, an original cast member of The Real Housewives of New York City, and Siobhan Murphy.

Award-winning actor Paul Sun-Hyung Lee joins the cast as Inspector Albert Choi, who brings a whole new perspective to Station House #4.

This season, Murdoch and his team investigate brand new cases, including the killing of a man during a battlefield re-enactment, the veracity of a ‘Missing Link’ skull, a murder at a Charles Dickens convention, threats to...

Exclusive: Stephen Amell, Minnie Driver and Hamza Haq will star in Underbelly, a crime drama set in the 1000 Islands region, home to a picturesque river that serves as a border between Canada and the U.S. The series was created by Saving Hope’s Graeme Stewart and will be an original for Canadian streamer Crave. Tamara Podemski also stars.

Shaftesbury, producer of Hudson & Rex and Murdoch Mysteries, is making the six-part series. Fifth Season is co-financing and will distribute. It is warming up international buyers here at MIPCOM on the buzzy project, which will premiere on Crave next year.

Deadline can reveal the news and share the first image from the series.

Amell, soon to appear in Suits L.A., plays Officer Henry Roland. He finds evidence linking a case of missing illegal substances to his childhood best friend, Tommy Hawley, played by Haq. As Henry embarks on a mission to save his friend,...

Alicia Silverstone to star in ‘Irish Blood’ (Photo Courtesy of Acorn TV)

Alicia Silverstone (Reptile) is confirmed to star in and executive produce Irish Blood, a new drama just greenlit by Acorn TV. Wendy Crewson (Tracker), Jason O’Mara (The Man In The High Castle), Dearbhla Molloy (Wild Mountain Thyme), Simone Kirby (His Dark Materials), Ruth Codd (The Fall of the House of Usher), and Leonardo Taiwo (Wheel of Time) are on board as series regulars.

“Irish Blood, a six-part murder mystery, focuses on Fiona (Silverstone), whose path in life is earmarked by her father, Declan, who seemingly abandoned her and her mother on her tenth birthday. After years of channeling anger toward him to the benefit of her litigious clients, a message from her father sends her to Ireland,” reads Acorn TV’s synopsis. “There she learns key truths about her father as well as a family that doesn’t know she exists,...

Alicia Silverstone is heading to the Emerald Isle for her next TV role.

Silverstone will star in and serve as an executive producer of Irish Blood, a murder-mystery drama from AMC Networks’ streamer Acorn TV. She’ll play Fiona Sharpe, a Los Angeles divorce lawyer who receives a letter from her estranged father and travels to Ireland to uncover the mystery of his disappearance.

Filming on the six-episode series has begun in Dublin. Irish Blood’s cast also features Wendy Crewson, Jason O’Mara, Dearbhla Molloy, Simone Kirby, Ruth Codd and Leonardo Taiwo.

“Irish Blood is the story of a woman discovering herself and confronting her past after traveling abroad unexpectedly,” Silverstone said in a statement. “I love how unpredictable the storytelling feels and the combination of drama, humor and suspense my character experiences.”

The series comes from writers Aaron Martin (Being Erica), Christina Ray (Murdoch Mysteries), Mike O’Leary (Bodkin) and...

Alicia Silverstone is to play a hot-shot Los Angeles divorce lawyer searching for her father in a new murder mystery series for streamer Acorn TV.

The Clueless star is leading Irish Blood, a six-part drama series for the AMC Networks-owned streamer. The series is filming in Dublin, Ireland.

The series follows Fiona Sharpe (Silverstone), whose path in life is earmarked by her father, Declan, who seemingly abandoned her and her mother on her tenth birthday. After years of channeling anger toward him, to the benefit of her litigious clients, a message from her father sends her to Ireland. There she learns key truths about her father as well as a family that doesn’t know she exists, and, moreover, that the story of abandonment that has shaped her entire life – was a lie. A lie intended to protect her and her mother from her father’s shady business dealings.

Former Endor Productions Managing Director Carlo Dusi has set up British indie Turning Point with backing from Canada’s Shaftesbury.

Turning Point will reunite Dusi with Endor colleagues Jennifer McConnell, who is Creative Director, and Molly Scull, who becomes Development Executive. The business also launches with several Endor projects, with “many in paid development with broadcasters and studios” and several newer development projects initiated since Turning Point’s launch.

The Seven.One Studios-backed Endor had closed its doors in June in the face of the tough market conditions facing production companies.

For Shaftesbury, the undisclosed investment comes three years after it landed backing from AMC Studios to expand in the international market. Christina Jennings’ Canadian prodco and distributor is best known for shows such as Murdoch Mysteries, Departure and Hudson & Rex.

“I am thrilled to build on the fantastic collaboration that Jen, Molly and I have enjoyed over the past two years,...

We're only a day away from the two-episode premiere of Slasher: Ripper on Shudder and AMC+, and not only do we have an exclusive clip just for Daily Dead readers, but director Adam MacDonald (Pyewacket) provided us with some behind-the-scenes details!

Synopsis: "Slasher: Ripper takes the franchise back in time to the late 19th century and follows Basil Garvey (McCormack), a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood. There’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful. The only person standing in the way of this killer is the newly promoted detective, Kenneth Rijkers, whose ironclad belief in justice may...

A new season of the television anthology series Slasher – season 5, to be exact, which is also going by the title Slasher: Ripper – is set to premiere on the Shudder and AMC+ streaming services on April 6th. With that date now less than a month away, a trailer for the season has arrived online and you can check it out in the embed above. Poster art for Slasher: Ripper has also been unveiled, and you can take a look at that at the bottom of this article.

Slasher is a show that started out on the now-defunct network Chiller, then moved to Netflix for the second and third seasons, and then jumped over to Shudder for the fourth season (which happened to have genre icon David Cronenberg as a cast member). Now AMC+ has gotten in on the action as well for season 5.

Here’s the official synopsis for Slasher: Ripper,...

It's been a while since we've had a good horror series to capture our attention.

Our wait will soon be over, as Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium streaming service for horror, thrillers and the supernatural, released a new trailer today, and it's pretty juicy!

The long-awaited return of a successful franchise is only weeks away with the arrival of Slasher: Ripper.

Slasher: Ripper debuts with a two-episode premiere on Thursday, April 6 on Shudder and AMC+ with new episodes rolling out weekly on Thursdays.

Slasher: Ripper takes the franchise back in time to the late 19th century.

It follows Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood.

There’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper,...

“Slasher: Ripper” is on the way early this year from Shudder, the brand new fifth season of the slasher-based horror anthology series that originally kicked off back in 2016.

The series premieres with Two Episodes on April 6 only on Shudder and AMC+. Check out the brand new official trailer for “Slasher: Ripper” below, along with poster art.

“Slasher: Ripper” takes the franchise back in time to the late 19th century and stars Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) as Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood.

There’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful.

The only person standing in...

Eleven months have gone by since AMC Networks announced they had ordered a new season of the television anthology series Slasher – and now the premiere of the show’s new season is just a few more months away! Titled Slasher: Ripper, Slasher season 5 is set to premiere on the Shudder and AMC+ streaming services on April 6th.

Slasher is a show that started out on the now-defunct network Chiller, then moved to Netflix for the second and third seasons, and then jumped over to Shudder for the fourth season (which happened to have genre icon David Cronenberg as a cast member). Now AMC+ has gotten in on the action as well.

Here’s the official synopsis for Slasher: Ripper, which takes the franchise back in time to the late 19th century: Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, oversees a city on the cusp...

Announced last year, “Slasher: Ripper” is on the way from Shudder, the brand new fifth season of the slasher-based horror anthology series that originally kicked off back in 2016.

Today we’ve learned that the series premieres April 6 on Shudder and AMC+.

“Slasher: Ripper” takes the franchise back in time to the late 19th century and stars Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) as Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees a city on the cusp of a new century, and a social upheaval that will see its streets run red with blood.

There’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful.

The only person standing in the way of this killer is the newly promoted detective, Kenneth Rijkers, whose ironclad belief...

AMC Networks is keeping a string of beloved series around.

Kin, Bloodlands, My Life Is Murder, Creepshow, and Slasher have all been picked up for additional seasons.

Kin Season 1 featured an all-star cast when it bowed in the fall, taking viewers to Dublin, Ireland, for a fast-paced drama.

When one of their own is brutally murdered, the Kinsellas step out to get revenge on those who wronged them.

The cast includes Charlie Cox, Aidan Gillen, Emmett J. Scanlan, and Clare Dunne.

The series was a TV Fanatic favorite from the very first scene, so we're excited to see how this plays out.

Slasher, which features a new setting and storyline every season, has locked in Eric McCormack as its new lead.

Slasher: Ripper, set to begin production this spring, takes the Slasher franchise back in time to the late 19 th century -- there’s a killer stalking the mean streets,...

AMC Networks has unveiled a slew of renewals across its streaming services.

Kin, Bloodlands, My Life Is Murder, Creepshow and Slasher have all been picked up for additional seasons.

Slasher, which airs on Shudder, has also set Will & Grace’s Eric McCormack as lead on its latest installment, Slasher: Ripper.

The series, which has been renewed for its fifth season, is heading back in time to the late 19th century — there’s a killer stalking the mean streets, but instead of targeting the poor and downtrodden like Jack the Ripper, The Widow is meting out justice against the rich and powerful. The only person standing in the way of this killer is the newly promoted detective, Kenneth Rijkers, whose ironclad belief in justice may wind up being yet another victim.

McCormack will play Basil Garvey, a charismatic tycoon whose success is only rivaled by his ruthlessness, as he oversees...

AMC Networks announced renewals for six series across multiple platforms: “Kin,” “Bloodlands,” “My Life is Murder,” “London Kills,” “Creepshow” and the “Slasher” franchise. The new “Slasher” installment is entitled “Slasher: Ripper” and will star Eric McCormack as ruthless tycoon Basil Garvey. The announcements were made at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour.

“Kin,” the Irish gang drama streaming on AMC Plus, is returning for its second season. The series centers the Kinsellas, a crime family that wars with and ultimately kills powerful drug kingpin Eamon Cunningham (Ciarán Hinds). Season 2 will begin production this summer and follow the Kinsellas as they become the top dogs in Dublin but must deal with the consequences of Cunningham’s death. Charlie Cox, Clare Dunne and Aidan Gillen star. “Kin” is produced by Bron Studios and Headline Pictures. Peter McKenna serves as showrunner, executive producer, writer and creator.

Irish crime thriller “Bloodlands” has...

Season three of international thriller drama series Departure, headlined by Archie Panjabi, has begun production in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Toronto. Will & Grace alum Eric McCormack has joined the series, produced by Shaftesbury in association with Corus Entertainment, Starlings Television and Red Arrow Studios International.

Departure, whose existing two seasons are streaming on Peacock, was renewed for a third season by Canadian network Global in May. Peacock picked up Seasons 1 and 2, which also starred the late Christopher Plummer, after screening them so it is too early to say if the streamer will also take in Season 3.

Created by Vincent Shiao, with Jackie May serving as showrunner and Canadian Screen Award winner T.J. Scott as director, Departure centers on the mystery of The Queen of the Narrows ferry, destined for St. John’s Newfoundland, which sinks in record time with many of its 500 passangers on board.

The investigation team, led...

Departure is returning to Peacock with another mystery to solve.

the streamer has dropped the second season trailer of the intense conspiracy series which follows the ensuing investigation into a mysterious crash of a controversial new high-speed train traveling between Toronto and Chicago. 

Departure Season 2  is set to launch on Peacock on August 5.

All six episodes will drop at once, so you can get your binge on with this one.

"Departure season two follows Kendra Malley (Emmy(R) award winner Archie Panjabi) as she's recruited to investigate a new transportation disaster -the derailment of an experimental high-speed train in rural Michigan," reads the official logline.

"Pressure mounts for Kendra and her team to crack the puzzle as the small town reels in shock, and the world demands answers."

"Their investigation reveals a plethora of disconnected events and a range of potential suspects with believable motives: a disillusioned employee, a local anti-technology politician,...

Ben Platt, Tracee Ellis Ross, Daniel Dae Kim, Lola Kirke, Soko, Jermaine Fowler, Ayo Edebiri and Eric Lange have joined B.J. Novak’s new series, now titled “The Premise.”

Premiering on Sept. 16 on FX on Hulu, the half-hour anthology comes from executive producers Novak and Josh Lesher. The first installment’s five episodes — titled “Social Justice Sex Tape,” “Moment of Silence,” “The Ballad of Jesse Wheeler,” “The Commenter” and “Butt Plug” — cover police brutality, sex, gun violence, social media and more.

Previously announced cast include Lucas Hedges, Kaitlyn Dever, Jon Bernthal, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Ed Asner, George Wallace, Boyd Holbrook and Beau Bridges.

View first look images below.

Also in today’s TV news roundup:

Dates

Fuse announced that Season 3 of “Made From Scratch” will premiere on Sept. 15. The unscripted series takes viewers into the homes of artists as they cook their favorite childhood dishes with their families. Season 3 stars Becky G,...

According to TorontoFilm.Net, cable company AMC, home of "Mad Men" and "The Walking Dead" will partner with Toronto-based Shaftesbury Films, producers of TV series "Murdoch Mysteries" and "Slasher", for the further development, production, distribution and reach of Shaftesbury content:

"Getting Canadian stories and creative talent in front of the international market has always been Shaftesbury's mission," said Shaftesbury CEO and Chairman Christina Jennings. "This relationship will give us a big leg up..."

"Murdoch Mysteries" premiered on Toronto's Citytv in 2008, and currently airs on Canada's CBC and AMC's Acorn TV, based on characters from the 'Detective Murdoch' novels by Maureen Jennings, starring Yannick Bisson as 'William Murdoch', a police detective working in Toronto, Ontario in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Click the images to enlarge... ...

AMC Networks and Toronto-based Shaftesbury have entered into a new strategic partnership that, through an investment in Shaftesbury, will grant AMC access to the production company’s slate and expand its content and development capabilities in Canada.

The partnership, which builds on AMC and Shaftesbury’s existing production ties, was forged with the intention of growing Shaftesbury’s content slate across genres and creating more opportunities for Canadian creators both in front of and behind the camera. Shaftesbury is known as the studio behind Acorn TV titles such as “Murdoch Mysteries”; Acorn TV is a subsidiary of AMC Networks.

Shaftesbury CEO and chairman Christina Jennings will continue to lead the company’s creative focus and day-to-day operations alongside executive vice president Scott Garvie.

“This new partnership will leverage the broad expertise of AMC Networks and Shaftesbury to deliver significant growth opportunities for the development, production, distribution and reach of our content,...

AMC Networks has struck a strategic partnership with Murdoch Mysteries and Slasher producer Shaftesbury.

The cable company has invested in the Canadian producer, giving it access to Shaftesbury’s slate and allowing it to expand its content and development capabilities north of the border.

Shaftesbury produces Murdoch Mysteries, which is one of the biggest shows for AMC Networks-owned Acorn TV as well as horror anthology Slasher, which was recently ordered for a fourth season by Shudder.

Shaftesbury CEO and Chairman Christina Jennings, who founded the company in 1987, will continue to lead the company alongside EVP Scott Garvie.

Jennings, Garvie and Shaftesbury board member Michael Levine will remain on Shaftesbury’s Board of Directors and will be joined by two new AMC Networks directors, Harold Gronenthal, EVP of Programming and Marketing for AMC Networks International, and Matt Graham, Gm of the AMC Networks-owned Acorn TV streaming service.

Shaftesbury and its shareholders...

AMC Networks, the owner of AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and BBC America, is making a strategic investment in Canadian indie producer Shaftesbury, maker of the long-running family drama Murdoch Mysteries.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Shaftesbury CEO and chairman Christina Jennings, who will continue in the top post, told THR that AMC Networks was making a “significant and strategic” investment in her company, which would remain Canadian owned and controlled.

As the cable networks company expands in the streaming space, Jennings added AMC Networks will acquire Shaftesbury’s top shows from its Canadian programming slate, which also includes Hudson ...

AMC Networks, the owner of AMC, IFC, Sundance Channel and BBC America, is making a strategic investment in Canadian indie producer Shaftesbury, maker of the long-running family drama Murdoch Mysteries.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Shaftesbury CEO and chairman Christina Jennings, who will continue in the top post, told THR that AMC Networks was making a “significant and strategic” investment in her company, which would remain Canadian owned and controlled.

As the cable networks company expands in the streaming space, Jennings added AMC Networks will acquire Shaftesbury’s top shows from its Canadian programming slate, which also includes Hudson ...

The world of Slasher is not dead yet.

Shudder announced today that it has teamed up with award-winning production company Shaftesbury to make a new eight-episode installment of the hugely popular horror series.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood will stream exclusively on horror platform Shudder in the US, Australia, and New Zealand in 2021.

Shudder will also be the streaming home for Flesh & Blood in Canada, the UK and Ireland following its linear premieres in those countries.

The series will be broadcast exclusively on Hollywood Suite in Canada.

Production is already underway in Ontario, Canada.

"Slasher: Flesh & Blood follows a wealthy but dysfunctional family gathering for a reunion on a secluded island," reads the official logline.

"Their old wounds and competitive rivalries flare up when the family realizes a masked killer is on the island, intent on cruelly picking them off one by one."

Slasher: Flesh & Blood will combine elements of traditional murder...

Exciting news has come in from Shudder, revealing that David Cronenberg will be starring in the latest installment of Slasher. Titled Slasher: Flesh & Blood, the series will head to Shudder in 2021:

New York, NY – November 12, 2020 – Shudder, AMC Networks’ premium service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, announced today that it has teamed up with award-winning production company Shaftesbury to make a new eight-episode installment of the hugely popular horror series, Slasher. Hailed by Bloody Disgusting as “top-notch horror storytelling”, Slasher: Flesh & Blood will stream exclusively on horror platform Shudder in the US, Australia and New Zealand in 2021. Shudder will also be the streaming home for Flesh & Blood in Canada, the UK and Ireland following its linear premieres in those countries. The series will be broadcast exclusively on Hollywood Suite in Canada. Production is underway now in Ontario, Canada.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood follows a wealthy but dysfunctional family gathering...

Scanners and Videodrome director David Cronenberg is to star in a new series of horror anthology Slasher for AMC streaming service Shudder.

The streamer has ordered a new eight-episode instalment of the series, which has run for three seasons on platforms including Chiller and Netflix.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood, produced by Canadian production company Shaftesbury, will air exclusively on Shudder in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand in 2021 with second window runs in the UK and Ireland and Canada, where it will first air on Hollywood Suite. Production is underway now in Ontario, Canada.

Slasher: Flesh & Blood follows a wealthy but dysfunctional family gathering for a reunion on a secluded island. Their old wounds and competitive rivalries flare up when the family realizes a masked killer is on the island, intent on cruelly picking them off one by one.

Cronenberg, who has acted in other projects including Jason X,...

The Canadian government’s Cad$50 million ($38 million) backstop scheme to support homegrown programs and co-productions unable to obtain insurance for Covid-19 filming interruptions and shutdowns has been met with relief from producers, though pressing questions remain about how exactly the fund will function.

“This is going to open up the door and the floodgates for a number of productions, smaller productions and producers with less financial means to get their shows up and running again,” says Aren Prupas, VP of business and legal affairs at Muse Entertainment, whose The CW-acquired “Coroner” is currently in production in Toronto. The executive highlighted, however, that the scheme is still woefully “thin on details.”

“Right now it’s pretty unclear what the premiums are. It’s still the elephant in the room. If this is as expensive as the secondary market [private sector], which we know to be very expensive because of what we did with ‘Coroner,...

In today’s TV news roundup, Netflix announced a premiere date for “Sneakerheads,” and YouTube announced a premiere date for the Paris Hilton Documentary, “This is Paris.”

Dates

Netflix has announced a Sept. 25 premiere date for “Sneakerheads,” a comedy series starring Allen Maldonado, Andrew Bachelor, Jearnest Corchado, Matthew Josten, Yaani King Mondschein, Justin Lee and Aja Evans. Maldonado plays Devin, a stay-at-home dad who enlists the help of shoe lovers to search for “Zeroes,” a difficult-to-find pair of shoes, after losing $5,000 on a money-making scheme. The show’s executive producers are Jay Longino, Inny Clemons, Justin Killion, Will Gluck, Richard Schwartz, Kevin Mann, Brendan Bragg, Jason Belleville, Rod Grable and Dave Meyers. View photos from the show below.

YouTube announced that the documentary following Paris Hilton, “This is Paris,” will be available starting Sept. 14 on the personality’s YouTube channel. The documentary will take a look at the life of the celebrity,...

“Ontario is open for business, open for jobs and open for film and television productions.”

The government of Ontario has set up the Ministers’ Film and Television Advisory Panel to give officials expert advice on how to grow the Canadian province’s film and television industries.

First announced in the 2019 Ontario budget, the panel will report jointly to the minister of heritage, sport, tourism and culture Industries (Mhstci) Lisa MacLeod and the minister of finance Rod Phillips. Jim Mirkopoulos, vice-president, of Cinespace Film Studios, will serve as chair and Christina Jennings, founder, chairman and CEO of film, TV and digital production company Shaftesbury,...

Acorn TV has unveiled its latest original commission — a thriller set against the magnificent backdrop of New Zealand’s south island.

The AMC Networks-owned streamer, which passed one million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada last week, has teamed up with Sky Nz and CBC in Canada to make The Sounds.

Created and co-written by author Sarah-Kate Lynch, the eight-part series is made by All3Media’s New Zealand production company South Pacific Pictures and Toronto-based Shaftesbury.

It follows a married couple who move to a new town to escape their family. But when Maggie’s husband Tom disappears, it re-opens old wounds and secrets about the seemingly close community in which they live.

The Sounds stars Rachelle Lefevre, who featured in CBS series Under the Dome and White House Down, and Narcos actor Matt Whelan in the lead roles. Multi-hyphenated Canadian Peter Stebbings is directing.

Acorn TV will...

AMC Networks-owned streamer Acorn TV, Kiwi pay-tv platform Sky Nz, and Canadian pubcaster CBC are tuning into “The Sounds,” an original thriller set on New Zealand’s South Island.

The eight-parter will star Rachelle Lefevre (“Under the Dome”) and Matt Whelan (“Narcos”) as a couple who move to Marlborough Sounds to start a new life. When Tom disappears, unsettling facts about him soon come to light, and the search brings long-buried wounds to the surface.

Matt Nable (“Arrow”) will co-star. The cast also includes Emily Piggford (“The Girlfriend Experience”), Peter Elliott (“Tarzan”), Anna-Maree Thomas (“The Brokenwood Mysteries”), and Vanessa Rare (“Last Man Standing”).

All3Media’s New Zealand production company South Pacific Pictures and Toronto-based Shaftesbury are co-producing the show, which will bow in 2020. The project was created by bestselling author Sarah-Kate Lynch, who is also the lead writer on the series. Peter Stebbings (“Wynonna Earp”) will direct.

Acorn has rights in the U.