ITV Studios Closes Prisoner Deals

LONDON: ZDF in Germany and ABC in Australia are among the networks that have picked up the rights to the AMC original drama The Prisoner from ITV Studios Global Entertainment, which has now been sold into more than 100 territories.

The ITV Studios production, executive produced by Michele Buck and Damien Timmer (the team behind Bouquet of Barbed Wire, which ITV Studios Global Entertainment is launching at MIPTV), has also sold to CCTV’s Feng Yun Ju Chang in China, CYBC in Cyprus, HBO Poland, M-Net for Africa, Sony’s AXN Mystery channel in Japan, True Visions in Thailand, TVNZ, Universal Channel in Greece and VRT Belgium and ZDF. It is set to air on ITV1 this spring and recently premiered on Canal+ in France. The 6×1-hour The Prisoner reboot stars Ian McKellen and Jim Caviezel.

Tobi de Graaff, the director of global TV distribution at ITV Studios Global Entertainment, noted: "The international success of The Prisoner is a testimony to its extremely high production values, which brings together epic Hollywood style drama, an all-star cast and gripping storyline. The Prisoner is incredibly appealing to the high-profile audience demographic, and thanks to the cast and famous original series, extensive PR can be built into the promotion of the show. We’re looking forward to announcing further deals soon, along with the MIPTV launch of our superb new prime-time drama Bouquet of Barbed Wire, which is executive produced by The Prisoner’s ITV team.”

The three-part psychological thriller Bouquet of Barbed Wire, which will premiere on ITV1, is an adaptation of Andrea Newman’s 1969 novel. A TV sensation in the ’70s, the story explores the consequences of a father’s obsessive love and how secrets from the past return to haunt the family.