The War of the Worlds, Dark Heart Lead ITVS GE MIPCOM Slate

The MIPCOM highlights from ITV Studios Global Entertainment (ITVS GE) span drama, including the TV adaptation of H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds, blue-chip natural history and tried-and-tested formats such as Love Island.

ITVS GE comes to the market with U.K. and international drama, including more hours of non-English-language content than ever before. The three-part The War of the Worlds is a thriller that tells the story of George (Rafe Spall, Jurassic World, The Big Short) and his partner Amy (Eleanor Tomlinson, Poldark), who face the escalating terror of an alien attack after a huge meteor strike. Robert Carlyle (T2 Trainspotting) stars as Ogilvy, an astronomer and scientist and Rupert Graves (Sherlock) plays George’s elder brother Frederick. Set in Edwardian England, the science-fiction period drama is produced by Mammoth Screen (Poldark, Victoria) and Creasun for BBC One.

Dark Heart is a new atmospheric crime series from writer Chris Lang (Unforgotten). It follows DI Will Wagstaffe (Tom Riley), a workaholic whose personal life is as troubled and complex as his day job, as he investigates a string of horrifying murders.

From Anagram Sweden and Network Movie for ZDF in Germany and SVT in Sweden, West of Liberty is an English-language thriller adapted from the first novel in Thomas Engström’s series centering on Ludwig Licht, a former Stasi agent and CIA informant.

From Beauborg Stories (part of Tetra Media Studios) for TF1 comes the procedural drama Balthazar. In the series, police commander Hélène Bach must learn to work with the brilliant yet exasperating forensic pathologist Raphael, who can make the dead speak like no one else. Also from Beauborg Stories, for France 3, is Les Secrets, which centers on Sarah and Alex, who have the perfect lives—until tragedy strikes when Alex’s body is found at the foot of a cliff. When the investigation rules his death a suicide, Sarah cannot understand why her husband would commit such an irredeemable act.

There’s also Hunters, from SF Studios and Harmonica Films for C More/TV4; Kieler Street, from Anagram Norway; World On Fire, a Mammoth Screen production for BBC One; and Noughts & Crosses, a Mammoth Screen adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s story of first love in a dangerous, alternate world.

Alongside the drama slate, a number of new non-scripted series will make their MIPCOM debut. Magical Land of Oz is a blue-chip natural-history piece that spotlights Australia. Cliveden: A Very British Country House is a three-part series for Channel 4 about the famous country house hotel. Billy Whizz profiles the life of the 18-year-old Formula 4 Go Karting champion Billy Monger. From Shiver comes My Embarrassing Pet. Curvy Girls on the Catwalk, from Little Gem for Channel 5, goes behind the scenes at one of the U.K.’s leading plus-sized modeling agencies.

ITVS GE is looking to continue the success of Love Island with new sales. The company will bring a selection of the show’s finalists from around the world to Cannes to celebrate its success. “Love Island is a truly innovative reality show that connects with both broad and younger audiences globally across multiple platforms,” says Mike Beale, the managing director for the Nordics and the global creative network at ITV Studios. “It’s delivering record audiences for both linear and nonlinear TV networks.”

ITV Studios also has on offer Spotless, which Beale describes as a “messy family game show.”

I’ll Get This features celebrities dining together at a top restaurant as they challenge each other to a series of games, tasks and questions.

“We continue to bring a range of format genres, with various durations and slot suitability, so that buyers feel they can always find something on offer from ITV Studios,” says Beale.

Ruth Berry, managing director of ITV Studios Global Entertainment, said: “I couldn’t be prouder to unveil this varied slate to the international market. With brand-defining drama from around the world, as well as innovative formats and blue-chip factual it is the embodiment of who we are today—an international and diverse, leading content company with a passion for everything we bring to screen.”