MIPTV: The Week in Drama

Ahead of MIPTV kicking off last Monday, registered buyers at the event were able to screen exclusive previews of ten featured upcoming series from Sweden, Italy, North America, Germany, Denmark, Finland and Austria at MIPDrama, reflecting the tremendous breadth of scripted series available on the global market today. The German period drama House of Promises, made for RTL+ and Vox, landed the coveted Coup de Cœur. Meanwhile, on April 6, the Israeli series The Lesson (Sh’at Efes) scored the top prize at the fifth edition of Canneseries, while the French-Canadian production Audrey’s Back (Audrey Est Revenue) took home the Dior Grand Award and the Special Interpretation Award.

Given the sheer volume available for buyers to choose from today, known IP remains paramount, a trend that could be seen across deal news announced at the market last week.

Banijay Rights sold the book-based six-part limited series Rogue Heroes to Canal+, which will air the series in France and all Canal+ territories later this year.

Global Screen was shopping Recipes for Love and Murder, a book-based series starring Maria Doyle Kennedy, who was on site in Cannes to promote the new co-production. “Recipes for Love and Murder is a unique and escapist premium crime light series,” said Julia Weber, head of international sales and acquisitions. “The combination of the stunning South African scenery and the warmth of the diverse range of characters makes for a wholly different crime drama experience, which really appealed to us.”

Cineflix Rights announced a slew of international sales for Irvine Welsh’s Crime, the author’s hit adaptation of his best-selling novel, including to CBC, RTÉ, VRT, Canal+ Group, NPO, Hot and Corus. “Irvine Welsh’s Crime has been a great success with both critics and audiences alike on BritBox,” said James Durie, head of scripted at Cineflix Rights. “We’re delighted to be closing these deals with international buyers, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer another season to clients.”

The Reunion, a drama series based on the best-selling French novel by Guillaume Musso from MGM International Television Productions, was acquired by streamer ITVX for a premiere later this year, with a linear run on ITV’s channels slated for 2023.

Bad Wolf, which was acquired by Sony Pictures Television at the end of last year, is set to produce the historical drama The Winter King, based on Bernard Cornwell’s Warlord Chronicles. Steve Coogan’s Baby Cow Productions, which is majority owned by BBC Studios, scored the option for Charles Spencer’s To Catch a King. Sky commissioned M. Son of the Century, based on Antonio Scurati’s best-selling novel that chronicles the birth of fascism in Italy and Benito Mussolini’s rise to power. BBC Studios optioned Eve Stranger, the comic-book series created by writer David Barnett and illustrated by Philip Bond. “Eve Stranger is a mind-bending journey, a wild mix of complex characters and comic book verve, taking us on an action-adventure ride that dazzles even as it deepens in psychological richness,” said Matthew Bouch, who will produce for BBC Studios Drama Productions. “It is a key title in BBC Studios’ push to create unique, bold stories for the international market.”

Gaumont is teaming up with Stories by France TV Distribution and Dutch producers Paradise Media to develop and produce Le Prince, inspired by the disappearance of Louis le Prince, the inventor of the first-ever motion picture camera.

Buccaneer Media and Redpoint Productions have been commissioned by the Norwegian state broadcaster NRK to produce the new drama series So Long, Marianne. The eight-part English/Norwegian-language series is based on the lives of Marianne Ihlen and Leonard Cohen.

Disney+ Hotstar in Indonesia commissioned a local version of BBC Studios’ hit drama Doctor Foster called Mendua (Between Two Hearts) from Screenplay Films. “Mike Bartlett and Drama Republic produced such an extraordinary character and story with Doctor Foster that our international customers continue to be inspired and find new ways of telling this story for a local audience,” said André Renaud, senior VP of global format sales at BBC Studios.

And at Paramount+, new U.K. originals commissioned ahead of its summer launch in the market include two adaptations of thriller novels: The Ex-Wife, based on the book of the same name by Jess Ryder; and The Burning Girls, adapted from CJ Tudor’s novel.

Of course, there are plenty of original concepts catching buyers’ interest. Electric Entertainment sealed a multi-territory deal with NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-To-Consumer for its SYFY U.S. original series The Ark. Electric Entertainment also signed a multi-title licensing deal with Canada’s Bell Media for three of its original series, including Almost Paradise. Madd Entertainment sold the Turkish drama Family Secrets to broadcasters across Europe, Latin America, MENA and more. And in other Turkish drama news, SPI International’s drama hub Dizi launched on Amazon Prime Video Channels in the Netherlands.

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