NBC & Electus Enter Development Deal for Telenovelas

UNIVERSAL CITY: NBC has partnered with Electus for the development of three telenovelas, the first of which is The Black Widow.

The idea is for the novelas to be developed with an eye toward airing one as a 13-episode series, with multiple episodes running each week. The first project in development is The Black Widow, an adaptation of the popular Venezuelan telenovela La Viuda Joven. It is written by Sri Rao, whose most recent writing credit was for General Hospital: Night Shift.

Electus International will handle the distribution of each series adapation worldwide as well as the original format worldwide, excluding Latin America, Spain and Portugal. Venevision International will distribute the format in those territories, as well as the original Venezuelan series globally.

“We believe there is huge potential for telenovelas to be adapted and developed for American viewers. These stories clearly have resonance across all cultures and nationalities,” said Jennifer Salke, the president of NBC Entertainment.

“Already a hit overseas, we expect The Black Widow’s captivating and mysterious plot to attract a large audience domestically as well,” added John Pollack, the president of Electus International.