El Rey Network Orders Second Season of ‘Matador’ #TCA14

Beverly Hills, Calif. — El Rey Network has renewed Matador for a 13-episode second season, the network announced on Thursday at the TCA Summer 2014 Press Tour.

The move comes ahead of the spy series July 15 premiere.

Matador comes from writer and producer Roberto Orci (Sleepy Hollow, Hawaii Five-O, Transformers) and follows professional soccer player Tony “Matador” Bravo, played by Gabriel Luna, who moonlights as a CIA spy.

“The whole reason I created the network was to do a show like this,” said El Rey Network founder and chairman Robert Rodriguez during a TCA panel about Matador.

In a statement, Rodriguez expanded on the decision, saying: “When Roberto first told me his concept for Matador, I knew immediately that it had to have a home on El Rey. This show exceeded every possible expectation we had in terms of great storytelling, incredible action and unique characters.”

Orci added in a statement: "Working with Robert and El Rey has been such a unique experience. We've been given enormous creative freedom and have delivered the show exactly as we envisioned. We have so much story left to tell and thank El Rey and Robert for their unending support for a show that celebrates a new kind of hero on television."

El Rey also announced unscripted series Lucha: Uprising, based on the popular Lucha Libre wrestling franchise, and Cutting Crew, which follows a group of barbers. Lucha: Uprising and Cutting Crew will bow Oct. 8 as part of new night of original content for the network.

“Launching a new night of originals so early in the life of El Rey might seem counterintuitive to some but it’s actually quite strategic,” said Scott Sassa, vice chair, El Rey Network, in a statement. “We feel that Lucha and Cutting Crew are the perfect addition to our lineup and will be a compelling watch for El Rey’s very passionate and engaged audience.”

Jessika Walsten

Jessika is an analyst for TVREV and Fabric Media. She previously served in various roles at Broadcasting + Cable, Multichannel News and NextTV, working with the brands since 2013. A graduate of USC Annenberg, Jessika has edited and reported on a variety of subjects in the media and entertainment space, including profiles on industry leaders and breaking news.