FX Orders New Drama Pilot & More Russell Brand

July 30, 2012 World Screen Top Stories
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BEVERLY HILLS: FX has signed up for The Bridge, an American version of the Scandinavian drama Bron, as well as additional installments of BrandX with Russell Brand.

The Bridge—about two detectives and their search for a serial killer—is based on the Scandinavian series Bron. It was adapted by Elwood Reid (Hawaii Five-O) and Meredith Stiehm (Homeland), both of whom are also serving as executive producers, alongside Lars Blomgren, Jane Featherstone and Carolyn Bernstein.The Bridge is being co-produced by FX Productions and Shine America. Production of the series’ pilot is scheduled to commence in the fall.

“We really loved the Scandinavian drama and Meredith’s and Elwood’s script adaption is very compelling and true to its progenitor,” said John Landgraf, the president and general manager of FX Networks. “This show will introduce two distinctive and truly great characters to American audiences in Sonya North and Marco Ruiz, an American and a Mexican cop whose shotgun partnership leads them on a vast, complicated personal and professional journey. We believe setting this series in the U.S. and Mexican border cities of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez will make the American adaptation both riveting and relevant. We are proud to partner with Shine America on what we believe will be a truly great television series.”
 
“The Bridge started as a successful drama series produced by our sister company in Sweden and it has since enjoyed tremendous success around the world,” said Carolyn Bernstein, the executive VP of scripted programming for Shine America. “We are thrilled to be developing it with FX, whom we consider the ideal partner to bring this ground-breaking series to an American audience. Meredith and Elwood have written a captivating pilot script that is respectful to the DNA of the original series, but takes it in a bold new direction.”
 
In other news, the network has picked up seven more episodes of BrandX with Russell Brand, scheduled to air in October.
 
The 30-minute late-night comedy series is produced by FX Productions in association with Dakota Films and Branded Films. It is executive produced by Russell Brand, Nik Linnen and Troy Miller.
 
Landgraf commented: “Russell Brand is an extraordinary comedic talent—inventive, ambitious and fearless—and we are thrilled to continue our association with him, as well as his partners Troy Miller and Nik Linnen.”