Legion Being Launched by FOX Networks Group Content Distribution

LONDON: FOX Networks Group Content Distribution (FNGCD) is bringing nearly 2,000 new hours of content to MIPTV, including the new FX and Marvel supernatural drama series Legion.

The 8×1-hour Legion is based on the Marvel comics by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz. The series has been brought to the screen by Noah Hawley (Fargo) and stars Dan Stevens (Beauty & the Beast, Downton Abbey) and Rachel Keller (Fargo).

FNGCD also has a second 10×1-hour season of Outcast, a suspense drama about possession. Created by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), it sees Patrick Fugit and Philip Glenister reprise their roles from season one, with new characters arriving in the town of Rome, played by C Thomas Howell (Criminal Minds) and Hoon Lee (Banshee).

The company has six new Turkish dramas for MIPTV as well. These include the romantic drama Lodestar (Çoban Yildizi), which premiered as this season’s highest-rating original drama; Second Chance (Kalbimdeki Deniz), about a woman who hits rock bottom and fights back; and Never Lose Hope (Umuda Kelepçe Vurulmaz), focused on a group of teens in prison. There is also Forever Bound (Dayan Yüreğim), about a woman faced with the dilemma of seeking either happiness or justice. In addition, there are new episodes of popular returning series such as That is My Life (O Hayat Benim), now in its fourth season, and No. 309.

From Latin America, FNGCD will be launching Call Me Bruna (Llámame Bruna), Brazil’s hit drama based on the true story of a young girl who eschews her middle-class life for the world of prostitution; 2091, a big-budget futuristic drama (and Latin America’s first original sci-fi show), set in a world where gaming has been banned, and Home Grown (Prata da Casa), a sitcom about a former Olympic athlete, now out of work and forced to live back home with his troublesome parents.

In the way of factual, Brain Games’ Jason Silva hosts National Geographic’s new landmark series Origins: The Journey of Humankind, which mixes scripted and unscripted elements. “It’s a full-sensory, time-travel adventure that delves deep into history to find the pivotal moments that fueled our evolutionary ascension,” says Connie Hodson, the VP of content and marketing at FOX Networks Group Content Distribution.

In Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric, the broadcasting legend and former CBS news anchor talks with scientists, psychologists, surgeons, activists, authors and families to learn more about the role of genetics, brain chemistry and modern culture on gender fluidity. Bare Knuckle Fight Club, meanwhile, uncovers the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing.

Further factual highlights include Water & Power: A California Heist, a new feature documentary that uncovers the exploits of California’s notorious water barons, and Parched, which looks at the true stories behind water supplies around the world. Oscar winner James Cameron worked with three-time Emmy Award winner Simcha Jacobovici to produce Atlantis Rising, a high-end investigative archaeology special that goes in search of Atlantis. Oscar and Emmy winners were also at the helm of LA92, a film about the infamous Rodney King incident and its aftermath. Both Story of God with Morgan Freeman and Breakthrough have new seasons on offer as well.

FNGCD also has a slate of format highlights. Following on the success of School for Husbands, School for In-Laws will be launching in Cannes. This spin-off format turns the focus on mothers-in-law who meddle in the lives of their children and their spouses and sends them back to school to partake in a variety of exercises and tests, all designed to aid family harmony.

Hodson commented: “While we have a fantastic range of titles launching in Cannes this MIPTV, the most exciting thing for us as distributors is the wealth of talent attached to our key shows as it really endorses their quality. Noah Hawley, the showrunner on Legion is at the top of his game; Morgan Freeman and Katie Couric bring extra credibility and sensitivity to challenging topics; and with Oscar-winning producers such as James Cameron and Simon and Jonathan Chinn behind two of our feature-length documentaries, buyers will know to expect beautiful looking films with compelling stories.

“The other area that sets our slate apart is the growing volume of local language content. In addition to Turkish and Spanish-language drama, we have numerous new factual shows produced in languages such as French and Spanish, which proves of huge benefit to buyers who can license and schedule programming quickly, without incurring the costs, or time delays, to get programming dubbed or sub-titled. In addition, through the Fox and National Geographic international networks, we can also readily make programming available in 39 different languages.”