HBO RENEWS EMMY(R)-WINNING DRAMA SERIES "BOARDWALK EMPIRE" FOR FIFTH SEASON

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 26, 2013 - Following the hit series' fourth-season debut on Sept. 8, HBO has renewed BOARDWALK EMPIRE for a fifth season, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

"Thanks to Terry Winter, Martin Scorsese, Tim Van Patten, Howard Korder and their stellar team, BOARDWALK EMPIRE remains in a class by itself," said Lombardo. "I look forward to another electrifying season of this impeccably crafted series."

From Terence Winter, Emmy(R)-winning writer of "The Sopranos" and Academy Award(R)-winning director Martin Scorsese, BOARDWALK EMPIRE is set in the 1920s during Prohibition, and chronicles the life and times of Enoch "Nucky" Thompson, the undisputed leader of Atlantic City.

Among the early critical raves for the new season of BOARDWALK EMPIRE, New York's Daily News declared that the series "remains must-see television drama," while People called it "terrific" and a "gripping spectacle." The Chicago Tribune hailed the show's "achingly good performances," and Variety termed it "one of TV's most compelling dramas."

BOARDWALK EMPIRE continues to be one of HBO's most-watched original programs, with an average gross audience of 7.5 million viewers this season.

The series recently received five Emmy(R) Awards, the most of any series in the 65th Annual Primetime Emmy(R) Awards competition, including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Bobby Cannavale); Outstanding Art Direction for a Single-Camera Series; Outstanding Hairstyling for a Single-Camera Series; Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour); and Outstanding Sound Editing for a Series.

In 2012, the show received four Emmy(R) Awards, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Tim Van Patten). In 2011, the series led all programming with eight Emmy(R) Awards, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Martin Scorsese). In Jan. 2011, BOARDWALK EMPIRE received two Golden Globe Awards, for Best Television Series - Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama (Steve Buscemi).

For more on the series, visit Facebook.com/BoardwalkEmpire and Twitter @BoardwalkEmpire #BoardwalkEmpire.

Season four credits: Created by Terence Winter, BOARDWALK EMPIRE is executive produced by Terence Winter, Martin Scorsese, Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson, Tim Van Patten and Howard Korder; co-executive producers, Eugene Kelly and Eric Overmyer; consulting producer, Dennis Lehane; producers, Joseph Iberti and Rick Yorn.