Strong Studios Co-Producing Piranha TV Adaptation

Strong Studios has teamed with Convergent Media, ForLan Films and M-Net/MultiChoice to co-produce Endangered, an adaptation of South African crime writer Rudie Van Rensburg’s Piranha.

Endangered centers around a wealthy Englishman in exile who runs an illegal, dangerous syndicate smuggling rhino horn out of Africa and the veteran detective who aggressively pursues him to put a stop to criminal gangs and poachers.

Stuart Urban (The Mystery of Suzy Lamplugh, The Secret, May I Kill U?) is attached to direct the six-part limited series, while screenwriter Jake Riddell (Reyka, Grantchester, London Kills, Death in Paradise) is writing the scripts. Production is expected to begin in early 2024 in South Africa.

Producers are ForLan Films’ Steve Lanning (The Empire Strikes Back, God Fearing Man) and Jake Lanning (Pulse, In Deep, Trial & Retribution); Advantage Entertainment’s Vlokkie Gordon (Black Sails, The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency); Strong Global Entertainment’s Kyle Cerminara; Strong Studios’ David Ozer and Scott Weinstock; Convergent Media’s Dan Reardon and Santosh Govindaraju; M-Net’s Nicola van Niekerk; and MultiChoice’s Wikus du Toit. Strong Studios and Convergent Media will oversee global distribution, excluding Africa, which will be handled by M-Net/MultiChoice.

“While researching rhino poaching, I became increasingly aware of how serious of a problem it is,” said Van Rensburg. “It’s a great honor to have such renowned filmmakers helming the production of Endangered, and I’m delighted that this issue will be brought to the attention of a wider audience.”

“As we look to continue building our content pipeline to offer a broad range of entertainment, as well as expand into the international production arena, we are thrilled to collaborate with Convergent Media, ForLan Films, M-Net/MultiChoice Africa and Advantage Entertainment to bring Rudie’s compelling novel to life to deliver a series that shines a spotlight on the controversial rhino poaching trade,” said Ozer, president of Strong Studios. “With Stuart’s vision and Jake’s dynamic screenplay, Endangered has all the facets lining up to produce a global binge-worthy hit!”

Convergent Media’s Reardon commented, “Endangered is a double-barreled shotgun of a story. It’s a fast-moving thriller, yet grounded in important real-world issues, both of which will appeal to a broad range of international audiences.”

ForLan Films’ Steve Lanning and Jake Lanning stated, “Rudie’s series of books immerses us not only in the rich and vibrant African culture, but also exposes the criminal elements that exploit Africa for their own benefit, which reaches far beyond Africa’s shores. We are so excited to be able to bring this story and its compelling characters to a worldwide audience.”

Georginah Machiridza, executive head of general entertainment for the MultiChoice Group, added: “As Africa’s leading video and entertainment company, we are committed to sharing our stories through world-class co-productions. Endangered represents a unique opportunity for MultiChoice to support a project that not only promises gripping storytelling but also addresses a pressing global concern. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling to make a positive impact, and we’re excited to share it with our audience.”