HIGH-OCTANE SERIES STRIKE BACK, STARRING SULLIVAN STAPLETON, PHILIP WINCHESTER AND AMANDA MEALING, DEBUTS AUG. 12 ON CINEMAX

Andy Harries And Elaine Pyke Executive Produce; Dan Percival And Frank Spotnitz Co-Executive Produce

When a resourceful international terrorist group plots an attack, a charismatic former U.S. Special Forces operative joins forces with a stealth British military unit to stop them in the ten-episode action series STRIKE BACK, debuting FRIDAY, AUG. 12 (10:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT) on CINEMAX. The show marks the first time HBO/CINEMAX has worked with UK broadcaster Sky to produce an original series.

Sullivan Stapleton ("Animal Kingdom") and Philip Winchester ("Crusoe") star, with Amanda Mealing ("Holby City"), Eva Birthistle ("Silent Witness"), Jimi Mistry ("Blood Diamond"), Rhashan Stone ("Episodes") and Richard Armitage ("The Hobbit").

Executive producers are Andy Harries (HBO's "Longford") for Left Bank; Elaine Pyke ("The Runaway") for Sky; co-executive producers are Dan Percival (HBO's "Dirty War") and Frank Spotnitz ("The X-Files"). Directors for the series are Dan Percival (HBO's "Dirty War"), Alex Holmes (HBO's "House of Saddam"), Bill Eagles ("Fringe") and Paul Wilmshurst ("Law & Order: UK"). Writers are Frank Spotnitz, Richard Zadjlic ("EastEnders"), Tony Saint ("Margaret Thatcher: The Long Walk to Finchley") and Simon Burke ("Persuasion").

The timely, fast-paced series mixes suspense, action and drama, spanning the globe from India to South Africa, from England to Chechnya. Shot on location in South Africa and Hungary, STRIKE BACK began production in February and will wrap in late summer.

The team that tracks the terrorists is Section 20, an elite military black ops unit within the British government that focuses on high-risk, top-priority targets. When one of their own is captured and held hostage, the group enlists the help of Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton), a former Delta Force operative who is familiar with the terrorists. Although he has good instincts and skills, his cocky style is often at odds with the more formal team, especially the more by-the-book Sgt. Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester). Team leader Col. Eleanor Grant (Amanda Mealing) is a smart, tough military leader who is skilled with a gun and diplomacy, but knows when to break a rule or two.

STRIKE BACK is a CINEMAX Presentation in association with British Sky Broadcasting Limited; a Left Bank Pictures Production; executive producers, Andy Harries for Left Bank and Elaine Pyke for Sky; co-executive producers, Dan Percival and Frank Spotnitz; series producer, Michael Casey; producers, Trevor Hopkins and Sue De Beauvoir; co-producer Bill Shepard.

Episodes include:

Episode #1

Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 12 (10:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT)

After agent John Porter (Richard Armitage) is kidnapped by Pakistani terrorist Latif, the rest of his team from Section 20, an elite secretive British Military Intelligence unit, race against the clock to find him. They quickly learn that only Porter and one other man, former U.S. Delta Force operative Damien Scott (Sullivan Stapleton), can identify Latif. Sgt. Michael Stonebridge (Philip Winchester), tasked with finding Scott, tracks him to an underground fight ring in Kuala Lumpur. Scott agrees to help Section 20 and decodes a hidden message from one of Porter's hostage transmissions that warns of a terror attack at a hotel in India and a plot known as Project Dawn, which the unit has been tracking for some time.

Led by Col. Eleanor Grant (Amanda Mealing), senior team members Capt. Kate Marshall (Eva Birthistle) and Maj. Oliver Sinclair (Rhashan Stone), Section 20 sets up a covert surveillance operation in New Delhi and are aided by Pakistani Intelligence Officer Major Ashkani (Jimi Mistry).

Their intelligence proves correct when terrorists seize the hotel with hostages, including Scott and Stonebridge, trapped inside.

Written by Frank Spotnitz; directed by Dan Percival.

Episode #2

Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 19 (10:00-10:45 p.m.)

The team learns that the terrorists are also searching the hotel for Mahmood, a weapons scientist who has info about missing WMDs, which signals that Latif's plot could be much bigger than originally anticipated. Scott and Stonebridge furiously search for Mahmood and for a way to thwart the assault on the hotel. Meanwhile, outside the hotel, the Indian army plans a risky rescue attempt of its own, against the advice of Col. Grant and Maj. Ashkani.

After the attack is resolved, the team learns the true identity of Latif as he eludes them. Scott officially joins the team and he and Stonebridge realize that Section 20 may be compromised.

Written by Frank Spotnitz; directed by Dan Percival.

Episode #3

Debut: FRIDAY, AUG. 26 (10:00-10:45 p.m.)

Section 20 tracks Latif's known associates to Cape Town, South Africa. They capture and interrogate an accomplice who leads them to an armored car company that recently had a brutal and suspicious robbery in which no money was stolen. Col. Grant recognizes one of the attackers as vicious mercenary and former IRA member Daniel Connolly (Liam Cunningham). After researching the company's client list, they surmise that the target may be defense contractor ATAT. The unit warns CEO Kenneth Bratton (Alistair Petrie) that the attack may not have been a random robbery, but he does not reveal that he is already being blackmailed by Connolly.

Meanwhile, Scott and Stonebridge pursue Connolly's new hacker. After an accident, Scott must impersonate the hacker, only to find that Connolly's apprehensive team may be suspicious of him.

Written by Frank Spotnitz; directed by Bill Eagles.

Episode #4

Debut: FRIDAY, SEPT. 9 (10:00-10:45 p.m.)

After Scott passes Connolly's "test," they brief him on the plan to break into a secure facility, but will only tell Scott that he is to override the security system. They give him the hard drive they stole from the armored car heist that houses the security information.

Maj. Sinclair installs a worm in the hard drive that will allow him to remotely hack the system. Section 20 plan to enable Connolly in the hope that he will lead them to Latif and reveal his plot. Capt. Marshall briefs Stonebridge about her research into the connection between ATAT and Mahmood.

ATAT CEO Bratton starts to panic and asks Capt. Marshall to meet him, and Section 20 hopes to bring him under their protection. But Connolly is one step ahead of them and kidnaps both of them, with Stonebridge in pursuit.

Connolly's team proceeds to a fertilizer facility, which is a front for Bratton's secretive business. Sinclair's computer worm enables them to break into the security system remotely. Connolly makes Bratton open the vault and he seizes its contents, which point to Latif's global plot. A tense firefight ensues as Connolly tries to make his escape.

Written by Frank Spotnitz; directed by Bill Eagles.