MUMBAI: Two targets with one arrow - that’s how HBO views its new acquisition. The channel and its HD counterpart will be premiering XXX: The Return of Xander Cage on 15 October 2017 at 1 pm and 9 pm to engage existing audiences and acquire new ones.
Xander Cage is just one of the several premieres as part of HBO’s multi-year output deal with Paramount Pictures. Brands associating with the movie include TUV300 as the powered-by partner while Oppo is the presenting partner and Suzuki Gixxer, Canon and LG OLED TV are associate partners.
The American action film, directed by D. J. Caruso and written by F. Scott Frazier, also marks the debut of the talented actress, Deepika Padukone in Hollywood, as the svelte and tough Serena. Special promos shot with Padukone will be aired till the television premiere.
The movie being the blockbuster of the year for HBO, the channel is using both traditional and digital media for marketing. Turner India senior director and network head – English entertainment Rohit Bhandari says, “For traditional media, we use mediums like outdoor hoardings, print and radio to promote the film, while in digital we use the HBO India Facebook page to engage with our audiences along with some paid ads especially for the digital medium, with mobile being a key medium.”
HBO has the satellite rights for South Asian markets including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives for the movie telecast.
Fans of the espionage and high-octane combat are in for a treat, as Vin Diesel reprises his role of the daredevil, Xander Cage. Agency chief, Jane Marke, enlists Xander to help retrieve the mysterious Pandora’s Box that is destined to spell doom for mankind when in the hands of the ruthless antagonist, Xiang. Cage sets off on a deadly trajectory with his team of accomplices and renegades, replete with motorbikes, guns, jet skis and submarines.
The cast also features Donnie Yen, Kris Wu, Ruby Rose, Tony Jaa, Nina Dobrev, and Academy Award nominees Toni Collette and Samuel L. Jackson in pivotal roles.
For those who love spy games, brilliant gadgetry and spectacular feats, the much-anticipated return of Cage makes for a heady cocktail!
