TVREAL
Reelz in the U.S. has inked a deal with Banijay Rights for the first and second seasons of the factual series Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer.
Produced by U.K.-based FirstLook TV, the show has previously sold to Netflix, Discovery UK, UKTV’s Really Channel, Foxtel and The Justice Network. The investigative series explores the psyches of infamous serial killers from around the world through reenactments and real-life video.
Continuing their partnership, Banijay Rights and FirstLook TV have entered into an agreement to co-develop and co-finance a new slate of crime-themed factual series for broadcasters around the world, with a maximum of ten new titles. Banijay Rights, which will exclusively distribute the titles covered in the agreement, will invest in research, sizzles and pilots at the outset, creating tasters for broadcasters and platforms before they commit to a full series. This will enable Banijay Rights and FirstLook TV to produce true-crime content without waiting for a commission.
Andreas Lemos, factual commercial director at Banijay Rights, said, “Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer has been a huge success for us, thanks primarily to the way FirstLook TV has enthusiastically calibrated the series to the global market—with a balance of cases from all over the world, an array of multi-national experts, and first-hand testimonies and chilling archive. The fact that Reelz has picked up the series for the U.S. really proves that FirstLook TV are masters in the genre and we’re looking to boost this model further with our crime co-development deal.”
Will Hanrahan, creative director at FirstLook TV, added: “Creating compelling factual series brands that are enjoyed across the globe is one of FirstLook TV’s key objectives. We’re delighted to build on the success of Inside the Mind of a Serial Killer and collaborate with the fantastic team at Banijay Rights on this 10 series collection of brand-new crime-themed factual programming for the international market.”
