Starz announced today a season two pick up of “Power,” the New York-based drama starring Omari Hardwick. Creator, showrunner and executive producer Courtney Kemp Agboh and fellow executive producers Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton, David Knoller and Randall Emmett will return for the sophomore season. Production is set to begin on the 10-episode second season in and around New York, as well as at its home base at Steiner Studios in Brooklyn this September.

The eight-episode first season of this visionary crime drama is set in two different worlds, the glamorous New York club scene and the brutal drug trade, and follows James “Ghost” St. Patrick as he attempts to leave his illegitimate lifestyle behind.

“I am so grateful to Chris Albrecht, Carmi Zlotnik, and everyone at Starz for their support of ‘Power.’ I am thrilled and excited to have the opportunity to create a season two that we plan to be bigger and better than the first,” shared series creator Courtney Kemp Agboh.

“’Power’ is a project extremely close to my heart and working with Chris Albrecht, Carmi Zlotnik and the Starz team has been the perfect fit for this. Viewers may be loving the start of season one now, but season two will blow them away,” says executive producer Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson.

Starz retains all global distribution and home entertainment rights to the series.

About “Power”

“Power” tells the story of wealthy New York City nightclub owner, James "Ghost" St. Patrick, who caters to the city's elite. He wants to build an empire, turn the club into a Fortune 500 business, but there's just one problem: he is living a double life. When he is not in the club, he is the kingpin of the most lucrative drug network in New York for a very high-level clientele. His marriage, family and business all become unknowingly threatened as he is tempted to leave his criminal life behind and become the rags-to-riches businessman he wants to be most of all.

Lead Omari Hardwick (Sparkle, For Colored Girls, Kick Ass, “Being Mary Jane”) is joined by Lela Loren (Snitch, “Gang Related”), Naturi Naughton (Fame, “The Client List,” “Mad Men”) and Joseph Sikora (Jack Reacher, Safe, “True Detective”). Rounding out the cast are Andy Bean, Sinqua Walls, Adam Huss, Greg Serano, Lucy Walters, Kathrine Narducci and Luis Antonio Ramos. La La Anthony, Diane Neal, Victor Garber, J.R. Ramirez, Debbi Morgan, Shane Johnson and Enrique Murciano also appear.

The series is created by Courtney Kemp Agboh ("The Good Wife"), who serves as executive producer and showrunner. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Mark Canton (300, Immortals, 300: Rise of an Empire), Randall Emmett (End of Watch, 2 Guns, Lone Survivor) and David Knoller (“Big Love," "Carnivàle”) also serve as executive producers. The series is produced in association with CBS Television Studios.

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About Starz

Starz (NASDAQ: STRZA, STRZB) is a leading integrated global media and entertainment company with operating units that provide premium subscription video programming on domestic U.S. pay television channels (Starz Networks), global content distribution (Starz Distribution) and animated television and movie production (Starz Animation), www.starz.com.

Starz Networks is a leading provider of premium subscription video programming through the flagship STARZ® and ENCORE® pay TV networks which showcase premium original programming and movies to U.S. multichannel video distributors, including cable operators, satellite television providers, and telecommunications companies. As of March 31, 2014, STARZ and ENCORE serve a combined 56.3 million subscribers, including 21.9 million at STARZ, and 34.4 million at ENCORE, making them the largest pair of premium flagship channels in the U.S. STARZ® and ENCORE®, along with Starz Networks’ third network MOVIEPLEX®, air over 1,000 movies monthly across 17 linear networks, complemented by On Demand and authenticated online offerings through STARZ PLAY, ENCORE PLAY, and MOVIEPLEX PLAY. Starz Distribution develops, produces and acquires entertainment content, distributing it to consumers globally on DVD, digital formats and traditional television. Starz Distribution’s home video, digital media and worldwide distribution business units distribute original programming content produced by Starz, as well as entertainment content for itself and third parties. Starz Animation produces animated TV and movie content for studios, networks, distributors and audiences worldwide.

About CBS Television Studios

CBS Television Studios is one of the industry's leading suppliers of primetime network programming, with the #1 and #2 dramas, "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles" and the #1 new comedy "The Millers" which also ranks as the third most watched network comedy. The studio's roster of popular and critically-acclaimed programs also includes the phenomenally successful CSI franchise, "Elementary," starring Jonny Lee Miller and Lucy Liu, the Peabody Award winning series "The Good Wife," starring multiple award winner Julianna Margulies, "Under the Dome," last summer's most watched program; "Reign," the hit CW series, the daytime talk show "The Talk," and BET's #1 scripted show "The Game." Upcoming new series include "NCIS: New Orleans," "CSI: Cyber," "The Odd Couple," "Madam Secretary" and "Scorpion" for CBS and "Jane the Virgin" and "The Messengers," for The CW in addition to the highly anticipated summer event "Extant" starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry.