Andy Serkis to Showrun & Direct Marie Tussaud Drama

Andy Serkis is behind the new period drama series MADAME!, which explores the life of Marie Tussaud.

Tussaud was a French artist known for her wax sculptures and the now world-famous museum Madame Tussauds, which she founded in London in 1835. Although Madame Tussauds may be a household name, few know how this pioneering businesswoman built her business from scratch.

Newen Connect has signed a deal with Imaginarium Productions to co-develop and distribute MADAME!

Serkis will also showrun and direct. Imaginarium’s Jonathan Cavendish will produce along with Felicita Films’ Marie Guillaumond.

Serkis said: “This is no straight-up period drama, it is a hilariously crazy, no holds barred, anarchic, punk caper conjured from the curiously twisted mind of a fabulously post-truth executioner’s daughter! Marie knows one thing very clearly—if you’re going to tell your own life story, make it entertaining, even if you have to make it up, and whatever happens, cut out the boring bits…”

Rodolphe Buet, CEO of Newen Connect, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to start a collaboration with the incredibly talented Andy Serkis and Jonathan Cavendish. Along with Marie Guillaumond, they bring us a very ambitious and unique project with MADAME! that depicts a visionary heroine who shook up conventions in the 18th century and whose journey as a strong independent woman managing to build an empire resonates particularly nowadays. Teaming up with The Imaginarium U.K. anchors the strategy of Newen Connect to support producers in the development and research of financing for ambitious co-production projects. We cannot wait to present the series to partners and to discover the life of Marie Tussaud on screen through the remarkable vision of Andy Serkis!”