ABC Studios, Endemol Partner for Format-Based Dramas

LOS ANGELES: Endemol Studios is working with ABC Studios to develop versions of the Dutch drama Penoza and the Australian series Spirited for ABC.

Endemol’s NL Film &TV’s Penoza, penned by Pieter Bart Korthuis and produced by Alain de Levita for the Netherlands’ KR, focuses on the widow of an assassinated criminal who is forced to adopt her late husband’s role in order to protect her family. The Dutch version is currently in production for a second season. The pilot episode for the U.S version will be written by Melissa Rosenberg, who will also serve as exec producer and showrunner. Alon Aranya and Howard Klein will also exec produce.

Endemol’s Southern Star produced Spirited, created by Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske, for FOXTEL in Australia. It tells the story of a recently divorced mother of two who develops an unexpected relationship with the ghost of an ‘80s English punk rock star. Chris Black and Henry Alonso Myers will both write the pilot episode and serve as executive producers.

"We are thrilled to partner with ABC Studios and ABC to develop and produce some of Endemol Studios’ first scripted projects,” said Philippe Maigret, the CEO of Endemol Studios. “It is enormously exciting that we have such rich material to bring the network from the Endemol teams in Australia and the Netherlands and we look forward to working with Melissa on Penoza, Chris and Henry on Spirited."

Endemol set up a scripted TV operation in the U.S. in August. Its first pickup was AMC’s new original Hell on Wheels.