WGN AMERICA REVEALS FIRST 'UNDERGROUND' TEASER TRAILER AND IMAGE FROM THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED SECOND SEASON

'UNDERGROUND' TO RETURN WEDNESDAY MARCH 8, 2017 AT 10:00 PM ET/PT

Underground Railroad Thriller Nominated for Four NAACP Image Awards Including Outstanding Drama Series; Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series, Jurnee Smollett-Bell; Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, Amirah Vann; and Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series, Anthony Hemingway

John Legend, Aisha Hinds and More to Guest Star in All-New Season

"The show could not possibly be more resonant and relevant in today's world of political and social upheaval." - Matthew Grobar, Deadline

"'Underground' rises to the challenge with urgent storytelling and a heavy dose of contemporary edge." - Daniel D'Addario, TIME

Los Angeles, December 13, 2016 -- WGN America's critically acclaimed, hit original drama "Underground," which struck a chord with viewers and ignited a social media movement, will premiere its second season on Wednesday March 8, 2017 at 10:00 p.m. ET/PT, it was announced today. The network also unveiled the highly anticipated teaser trailer and first image from its sophomore season, featuring Jurnee Smollett-Bell ("Rosalee"), Aldis Hodge ("Noah"), Jessica de Gouw ("Elizabeth Hawkes"), Alano Miller? ("Cato"), Amirah Vann ("Ernestine") and Aisha Hinds ("Harriet Tubman"). The news comes on the heels of today's NAACP Image Awards announcement which honored "Underground" with four nominations including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series (Jurnee Smollett-Bell), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series (Amirah Vann) and Outstanding Directing in a Dramatic Series (Anthony Hemingway).

Season two of the 10-episode, hour-long series follows an unremitting struggle for freedom within a divided America on the brink of civil war, each side vying to enact their own justice. Set in the aftermath of the Macon 7's daring attempt to stage the greatest escape in history, this group of American heroes continues on their harrowing journey to freedom, with legendary abolitionist Harriet Tubman blazing the trail.

WGN America's "Underground," from creators and executive producers Misha Green and Joe Pokaski, and executive producers and Academy Award(R) winners John Legend and Akiva Goldsman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

"Underground" was honored as the first public program presented at the new Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. The series was also honored with Broadcasting & Cable and Multichannel News' Diversity in Television & Video Award, for the cast and creative team's contributions to the celebration of diversity and inclusion on television. "Underground" was nominated for a TCA Award for Outstanding New Program by the Television Critics Association and won three CableFax Awards, including Best New Program, Best Historical Show/Series and Best Showrunners, Misha Green and Joe Pokaski.

The celebrated "Underground" cast includes: Jurnee Smollett-Bell ("Friday Night Lights," The Great Debaters) as Rosalee, a shy and sheltered house slave called to show courage she never believed she had; Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton, Hidden Figures) as Noah, driven and restless for freedom he's willing to die for; Jessica de Gouw ("Arrow," "Dracula") as Elizabeth Hawkes, an Ohio socialite who shares the abolitionist ideals of her husband, John, but is wary of what acting on those ideals will mean for their future family; Alano Miller (Loving, "Atlanta") as Cato, a cunning and charismatic slave driver, despised and feared by his fellow slaves. His moral compass is as flexible as his loyalties; Christopher Meloni ("Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For") as August Pullman, a secretive man who walks a tightrope between morality and survival; Amirah Vann ("Girls," And So It Goes) as Ernestine, the head house slave who will do anything to protect her children; and Marc Blucas ("Blue Bloods") as John Hawkes, an abolitionist lawyer who will break the laws he's sworn to uphold in order to serve what he knows to be right.

Recurring guest stars are: Aisha Hinds ("Under the Dome," Star Trek Into Darkness) in the pioneering role of Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad's most famous conductor revered for her grit, perseverance and unrelenting will to help scores of enslaved people reach their freedom; Jasika Nicole ("Fringe," "Scandal") as Georgia, an abolitionist with a covert station along the Underground whose quiet confidence hides secrets of her own; DeWanda Wise ("Shots Fired") as Clara, a preacher's daughter from an enslaved community; Michael Trotter ("Rosewood") as Biographer, an astute observer of people who lives through the lives of others often fearful of taking chances; Jesse Luken ("Justified," 42) as Smoke, the fearless second in command of Patty Cannon's infamous gang of slave catchers; Sadie Stratton ("Code Black," "Boy Meets World") as Patty Cannon; and Academy Award(R) and Golden Globe(R) winner and ten-time Grammy Award(R) winning singer-songwriter John Legend as renowned abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

From Sony Pictures Television, "Underground" is created and written by Misha Green ("Sons of Anarchy," "Heroes") and Joe Pokaski ("Heroes," "Daredevil"), who serve as Executive Producers alongside Emmy-nominated director Anthony Hemingway ("The People v. O.J. Simpson," "Treme"); Academy Award-winning writer Akiva Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind, I Am Legend) of Weed Road Pictures; Tory Tunnell (King Arthur, Holy Rollers) and Joby Harold (King Arthur, Edge of Tomorrow) of Safehouse Pictures; John Legend, Mike Jackson and Ty Stiklorius of Get Lifted Film Co (La La Land, Southside with You); and Mark Taylor ("MadTV"). Season two of the riveting drama recently wrapped production in Savannah, Georgia.

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WGN America and Tribune Studios

WGN America, the flagship entertainment network of Tribune Media Company (NYSE: TRCO) is nationally distributed in nearly 80 million homes via cable, satellite and telco, with high-quality entertainment programming including the breakout hit series "Outsiders," "Underground" and "Salem." The network also brings its audience a strong slate of popular first-run syndicated series and blockbuster movies. Through Tribune Studios, the creative development arm of Tribune Media, original content is produced for WGN America and Tribune local stations nationwide. Follow the network on Twitter @wgnamerica. For additional information, please visit www.wgnamerica.com.

About Sony Pictures Television

Sony Pictures Television is one of the television industry's leading content providers, producing and distributing programming worldwide in every genre and for every platform. In addition to managing one of the industry's largest libraries of award-winning feature films, television shows and formats, SPT is home to a thriving US production business and operates 17 wholly-owned or joint venture production companies in 13 countries around the world. SPT's worldwide networks portfolio includes 150 channel feeds, which are available in 178 countries reaching more than 1.3 billion cumulative households worldwide. Sony Pictures Television (SPT) is a Sony Pictures Entertainment Company.