AMC Boards BBC Worldwide’s McMafia

NEW YORK: AMC has inked a co-production deal with BBC Worldwide North America for Cuba Pictures’ new original drama McMafia, commissioned by BBC One.

The show, set in the world of organized crime, stars James Norton (War & Peace) as lead character Alex Godman. The cast also includes David Strathairn, Juliet Rylance, Aleksey Serebryakov, Maria Shukshina and Faye Marsay. Made in association with Twickenham Studios, McMafia is created and written by Hossein Amini and James Watkins, who will direct all eight episodes. Production is under way on the drama, which is inspired by Misha Glenny’s 2008 best-selling book of the same name.

“McMafia is simply one of those shows that comes along at exactly the right moment,” said Joel Stillerman, the president of original programming and development for AMC and SundanceTV. “Misha Glenny’s book reminds us that underneath the headlines of today what we used to think of as organized crime is something completely different. It’s a global operation, with tentacles in every corner of our world. The creative team behind McMafia has brilliantly used the essence of this source material to write a compelling and relevant piece of television. This is a superbly talented cast, led by James Norton, and we are excited to watch them bring to life these complex and multi-dimensional characters. We are also thrilled to be in partnership with the BBC, and Cuba Pictures, on this epic drama.”

“McMafia shares the ambition and sophistication of The Godfather, now for TV audiences,” stated Matt Forde, executive VP of content production, sales and distribution at BBC Worldwide North America. “The fusion between AMC and BBC—two names synonymous with quality—and Cuba Pictures, one of the hottest indies in the U.K., is sure to deliver a first-class crime thriller on a massive scale.”

Nick Marston, CEO of Cuba Pictures, added, “It is tremendously exciting to be producing this series and working with great partners, the BBC, AMC and BBC Worldwide. We want to make a show which can stand out from the crowd for its originality, character depth and contemporary resonance. Luckily, Hossein Amini, James Watkins and the top-class writing team, inspired by Misha Glenny’s groundbreaking book, have delivered scripts of the first order. With James Watkins directing the whole series and James Norton heading a perfect cast, we couldn’t be in better hands to realize the immense promise of this show.”