This Thursday, May 14, Fox finally welcomes us to the small town of Wayward Pines, and like its star-studded cast of characters, hopes we never leave.

Based on Blake Crouch’s popular novels, Fox’s 10-episode event series is a Twin Peaks flavored psychological thriller with a mind-blowing cast that includes Matt Dillon, Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard, Juliette Lewis, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Reed Diamond and Hope Davis. It’s also executive producer and pilot director M. Night Shyamalan’s first foray into television.

Pines was shot in late 2013-early 2014, and announced during last year’s upfronts, but its launch was strategically pushed to the summer of 2015, occupying the same slot as last year’s 24 event series.

“With all the reality television out there during the summer, it’s to some extent counter-programming in a wonderful way. This would be the big scripted thing and really cause a ruckus. It was a feeling like this was a homerun swing, to go for it,” Shyamalan said in a conference call with reporters.

During the delay, Fox opted for a slow, simmering marketing campaign, coming to a boil over the last couple of weeks.

Wayward Pines launched its first official trailer last May and has traveled to San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon and C2E2 since, previewing the pilot and presenting fans with pine-scented air fresheners.

Since March, Fox has released teasers, character profiles and behind-the-scenes coverage on YouTube and its website.

Most importantly, Fox has leveraged Empire’s incredible success to promote Wayward Pines, which also stars Terrence Howard.

Fox has been active across social media on its Twitter (@WaywardPinesFOX), Facebook and Instagram pages, promoting the #waywardpines.

From April 24 through April 30, FOX released the Wayward Pines pilot in its entirety, online and for free, through Hulu, cable providers and its website. Fans were implored to tweet #ISawWaywardPines and on April 30, Shyamalan, Blake Crouch and creator Chad Hodge live-tweeted the pilot.

The miniseries was crafted to stand on its own, featuring a beginning, middle and end. By the end of the show, “you’ll have closure,” says Executive Producer Donald De Line.

But never say never to more Wayward Pines.

While it wasn’t designed that way, “the world could continue should anyone want it to,” De Line says. Star Reed Diamond gushes, “we could do this for seven years; the possibilities are limitless.”

So is its audience, thanks to the global platform Fox International Channels has secured. For its forthcoming premiere, Pines will have the largest ever day-and-date launch for a scripted series, screening simultaneously across 125 different countries around the world.

Come May 14 at 9 pm ET/PT, Fox hopes the entire world will be unable to escape Wayward Pines.

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