YouTube Red Buys 'Step Up,' Its First Big Hollywood-produced TV Series

(RTTNews) - YouTube Red, Google's paid video streaming service, has purchased "Step Up," the Hollywood-produced television drama.

YouTube's first big-budget television series is a fan favorite dance film franchise that launched the career of Channing Tatum, according to a blog post on Thursday.

YouTube noted that producers of the original "Step Up" film's Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Meredith Milton will be executive producers of the series. They will join with Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Tatum, who both co-starred in the original "Step Up" film.

Lionsgate, which produced the franchise's fourth and fifth iterations, is said to deliver a 10-episode season with each episode running 45 minutes in length.

Step Up transitions to a new series with a heart-pounding, music-filled and dramatic look at dancers in a contemporary performing arts school, as per the blog.

The purchase is said to mark YouTube's first entry into expensive, Hollywood-caliber original programming. Susanne Daniels, YouTube's global head of original content, reportedly stated that the series will be a way to drive subscription to YouTube Red.

YouTube Red costs $10 a month, and its subscribers get access to a sizable library of content.