El Rey will make the season two premiere episode of its horror/drama series From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series available via video on demand prior to the show’s Aug. 25 premiere.

The first episode of the series, based on network chairman Robert Rodriguez’s successful theatrical film of the same name, will be available to subscribers of Comcast's Xfinity TV, Dish and Time Warner Cable as well as other MVPDs, said network officials.

El Rey also said it will also make the entire first season, as well as behind the scenes content highlighting the cast, available on demand.

Click here to watch Robert Rodriguez preview the second season of From Dusk Till Dawn:The Series in a video interview.

"I am excited that our distribution partners are on board to present the premiere episode from season two of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series ahead of its debut on El Rey Network,” remarked Rodriguez in a statement.  “The first season we followed the storyline of the movie-but in season two, all bets are off. I can’t wait for viewers to enjoy the ride."

Robert Rodriguez has decided to base the production and corporate headquarters for his new English-language action-adventure channel, El Rey Network, near the home base of his Troublemaker Studios in Austin, Texas.

The start-up service, which already films its centerpiece program, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series, in the Texas capital, committed to filming other scripted and unscripted content in the state. From Dusk Till Dawn will begin production on its second season later this year; El Rey Network's original series Matador will debut on July 15 but is produced in Los Angeles. The network said this will be the first time a general entertainment network has a formal production home in the Lone Star State.

El Rey's targeted 18-49 male audience includes in its core younger Latinos living in English-speaking households. The network said the choice of Texas accentuates the state's "identity as a beacon state for American Latino culture and entertainment."

"As a filmmaker and founder of El Rey Network, I can't imagine a more iconic and inspiring location for our production headquarters or for the filming of our upcoming projects," Rodriguez said in a release.

The network did not say whether or not the city or state offered financial incentives, or if specific job or spending commitments were made in return. But Gov. Rick Perry and Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell were both quoted in the release, with the mayor saying "Austin is home to creative, talented people who do pioneering, game-changing work, and Robert Rodriguez exemplifies our creative base of talent." Calls to state and city spokespeople were not immediately returned. (Update: Melissa Alvarado, public information officer for Austin's Economic Development Department, said the city did not offer any incentives. Neither did the state, said Rich Parsons, deputy communications director in Gov. Perry's office.)

El Rey Network was founded by Rodriguez and FactoryMade Ventures co-founders John Fogelman and Cristina Patwa, backed by Univision Networks & Studios, and launched this past March 11 on cable and satellite distributors including Comcast, DirecTV, Time Warner Cable (via a Univision affiliation deal) and Dish Network. It has a current base of about 40 million subscribers.

Pictured: Robert Rodriguez of El Rey Network and Austin mayor Lee Leffingwell in an El Rey Network photo.

As season one of the network’s first scripted original comes to a close, El Rey Network is taking a page from the cult movie to launch a new multi-platform promotional campaign called “Slaves for Santánico” to drive fan engagement for From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series.

The marketing initiative will allow fans to call the Santánico party line (1-800-315-2744) to engage in a short, responsive conversation with the character of Santánico Pandemonium, who is portrayed in the series by Eiza Gonzalez. All callers will be asked “What would you do for Santánico Pandemonium?” Responses will be recorded and potentially shared across the El Rey Network’s various social media platforms as well as on SlavesForSantánico.com. The character will also give callers a passcode that can be used to collect exclusive digital goods on the series’ website. 

The series, an adaptation of El Rey Network founder Robert Rodriguez’s 1996 cult film From Dusk Till Dawn, was recently renewed for a 13-episode second season. The “Slaves for Santánico” campaign will coincide with the April 29 airing of episode 107, which features Gonzalez reenacting Selma Hayek’s iconic snake dance from the film. The party line initiative will continue through May 21. 

“From Dusk Till Dawn’s iconic characters are the perfect jumping off point for this innovative, multi-platform initiative. The party line and creative campaign activations leverage Santánico Pandemonium’s enormous popularity and invite fans to participate more deeply in the series narrative. The concept is sure to entice new viewers and appeal to the highly coveted demo of men 18-49, including the all-important millennial fan base,” said Chad Blankenship, El Rey Network’s Vice President, Consumer Marketing & Communications, in a release.