YouTuber MatPat, Vice's Kaj Larsen to host Matt Damon, Ben Affleck's go90 series
LOS ANGELES -- YouTuber Matthew Patrick (MatPat) and Vice journalist Kaj Larsen have been tapped as hosts of Matt Damon and Ben Affleck's new mobile reality series.
The Runner, which launches July 1, is a first-of-its-kind mobile reality adventure series created by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
The duo, in partnership with Adaptive Studios and Pilgrim Media Group, announced earlier this year that the competition will be exclusively available on Verizon's free mobile platform go90.
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The series will follow an individual as he or she "attempts to make it across the United States unnoticed over the course of 30 days, while the entire country endeavors to locate and capture him or her using all available technology."
At stake? $1 million for the Runner and the chase teams (called "Chasers").
The show's tagline is: "A Runner on the Loose. A Nation on the Hunt. A Million Dollars on the Line."
The reality competition, available on both go90 and AOL.com, will be played out over the course of a 30-day period.
"It's an engaging, fast-paced competition and the ultimate interactive viewing experience," Craig Piligian, CEO, Pilgrim Media Group and executive producer of The Runner, told Mashable in an email interview. "It’s entertainment that’s truly unlike anything else out there."
Executives at Verizon also highlighted the series for being innovative.
“The Runner raises the stakes for reality series in the streaming video space,” said Chip Canter, GM of Digital Entertainment at Verizon, in a statement. “Real-time captured footage, lightning speed editing, three action-packed episodes daily and interactive viewer participation is a first for online and television. It aligns perfectly with our vision for go90, which is to push the boundaries on mobile and digital entertainment to suit our audience.”
The series, which Affleck and Damon have been trying to make for the past 16 years, was promoted heavily at AOL's Newfront in May, where the tech giant held a four-block party around the Seaport District.
Thousands of attendees flocked to the blocked off area after work to enjoy the open bars, free food and AOL-branded booths, including one for The Runner.
Here's a look at what to expect from the first three episodes:
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Saba was a Los Angeles-based reporter who covers all things digital entertainment, including YouTube, streaming services and digital influencers. Prior to that, she spent two years at the Los Angeles Times covering entertainment for the Calendar and Company Town sections. Saba grew up in Santa Monica and graduated from Boston University with a B.S. in journalism and B.A. in political science. When not reporting, she is usually binge watching shows online or looking for new coffee shops to frequent.
