CBC is bringing the buzzy and critically acclaimed BLACKBERRY to wide audiences across Canada on Thursday, November 9 on CBC Gem and CBC TV as an extended three-part CBC original series with never-before-seen footage. On November 9, all three episodes will be available to stream for free on CBC Gem and beginning that evening, a new episode will air weekly on CBC TV at 9 p.m. (9:30 NT).
From Rhombus Media and Zapruder Films, BLACKBERRY is director and co-writer Matt Johnson’s (Nirvanna the Band the Show) riotous take on the essential Canadian story of the two men who charted the course of the spectacular rise and catastrophic demise of the world’s first smartphone, starring Jay Baruchel (This Is The End) and Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia).
CBC will also be hosting a BlackBerry Museum pop-up to celebrate the extended three-part series premiere, running during mall hours from Wednesday, November 8 through Friday, November 10 at the CF Toronto Eaton Centre (Albert’s Way entrance). The museum will chart the journey of the once-popular phone with displays featuring photos and props from the series, as well as BlackBerry photo opportunities and a nostalgia-inducing BBM type-off challenge with prizes. The activation was planned by Initiative Media and produced by Makers.
BLACKBERRY tells the story of tech wizard Mike Lazaridis (Baruchel) and cunning businessman Jim Balsillie (Howerton). Seemingly overnight, the duo revolutionized the way people work, communicate and connect, with millions of people around the world addicted to their BlackBerrys and the company completely dominating the market. That is, until some shady business dealings, personal grievances, and, perhaps most dangerously, the iPhone, devastated the company’s incredible success.
The series also stars Johnson, as Mike’s friend and business partner Doug Fregin, Cary Elwes (Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning, Saw), Saul Rubinek (Hunters, True Romance), Rich Sommer (The Devil Wears Prada, Mad Men), Martin Donovan (Tenet, Big Little Lies), and Michael Ironside (Total Recall, Scanners).
Adapted by Johnson and Matthew Miller from bestselling book Losing the Signal: The Untold Story Behind the Extraordinary Rise and Spectacular Fall of BlackBerry by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, BLACKBERRY originated at CBC, where Losing the Signal was optioned and developed over the course of four years as a three-part series and feature film. The film received its world premiere at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival and was released theatrically in Canada on May 12; it will air on CBC Gem and CBC TV in 2024.
The series was executive produced by Johnson, Miller, Niv Fichman, Fraser Ash and Kevin Krikst. Executive Producers also include Noah Segal and Adrian Love from Elevation Pictures and Nate Bolotin, Aram Tertzakian, Nick Spicer and Maxime Cottray from XYZ Films. Jay McCarrol and Robert Upchurch are Co-Executive Producers. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual & Sports; Trish Williams is Executive Director, Scripted Content; Sarah Adams is Director of Current Production, Drama; and Gosia Kamela is Executive in Charge of Production. BLACKBERRY is an Elevation Pictures, XYZ Films and Telefilm Canada presentation of a CBC Original, produced with the participation of Ontario Creates, in association with IPR.VC and the Canada Media Fund.
