HBO's president Michael Lombardo has confirmed today that prohibition drama Boardwalk Empire has been renewed for a third season based on the "triumphant first season" and the continued critical success of the currently airing second season.
"I was eager to see what Terry Winter, Martin Scorsese and the rest of their stellar team had in store, and they continue to surpass our highest expectations," said Lombardo. "The response from the media and our viewers has been extremely gratifying."
Written by Winter (The Sopranos), Boardwalk Empire is based in the 1920s and the early days of Prohibition. It centers on the life of Enoch 'Nucky' Thompson (Steve Buscemi), who leads Atlantic City as a politician and a gangster.
The show has been a massive critical success and picked up eight awards at this year's Emmys including 'Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series' for Scorsese. Boardwalk's third season joins HBO's increasing slate of confirmed projects, which include further seasons of True Blood, Game of Thrones and Treme, and new shows Luck, Life's Too Short and Veep.
Boardwalk Empire's second season is currently airing on HBO in the US and on Sky Atlantic in the UK.