Sky is bringing its studios and content divisions together under Cécile Frot-Coutaz.
Frot-Coutaz, who joined the Comcast-owned outfit nearly three years ago, has been promoted and will take on an expanded role as CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer.
She will lead all of Sky’s content business excluding sport while continuing to helm studios. Sky’s UK and Ireland content teams plus Sky News across Europe will report to Frot-Coutaz, including the likes of Content MD Zai Bennett.
The move comes several weeks after Sky revealed UK and Ireland CEO Stephen van Rooyen would be stepping down at the end of February, leaving Sky’s operations in those countries to report directly to CEO Dana Strong.
Projects currently in development will not be impacted by the changes, we understand, and no layoffs will follow.
Meghan Lyvers will continue to oversee original series for Sky Studios, with...
Frot-Coutaz, who joined the Comcast-owned outfit nearly three years ago, has been promoted and will take on an expanded role as CEO of Sky Studios and Chief Content Officer.
She will lead all of Sky’s content business excluding sport while continuing to helm studios. Sky’s UK and Ireland content teams plus Sky News across Europe will report to Frot-Coutaz, including the likes of Content MD Zai Bennett.
The move comes several weeks after Sky revealed UK and Ireland CEO Stephen van Rooyen would be stepping down at the end of February, leaving Sky’s operations in those countries to report directly to CEO Dana Strong.
Projects currently in development will not be impacted by the changes, we understand, and no layoffs will follow.
Meghan Lyvers will continue to oversee original series for Sky Studios, with...
- 2/8/2024
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz is expanding her role to extend across the Comcast-owned media group’s entire U.K. and Ireland content business outside of sports. Her new title will be CEO of Sky Studios and chief content officer.
Zai Bennett, MD of content for Sky U.K. and Ireland, will now report to Frot-Coutaz, who joined Sky in 2021 after leadership stints at Fremantle and YouTube.
Bennett previously reported to Stephen van Rooyen, Sky CEO for U.K. and Ireland, who departs the company this month after 17 years in the job. Bennett will remain responsible for output and performance. His role includes overseeing commissions, acquisitions across the group and managing the Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema and Sky Kids brands.
Frot-Coutaz already looked after Sky’s comedy and drama across Europe as part of her remit. She will now also lead on U.K. and Ireland content as well as Sky News across Europe,...
Zai Bennett, MD of content for Sky U.K. and Ireland, will now report to Frot-Coutaz, who joined Sky in 2021 after leadership stints at Fremantle and YouTube.
Bennett previously reported to Stephen van Rooyen, Sky CEO for U.K. and Ireland, who departs the company this month after 17 years in the job. Bennett will remain responsible for output and performance. His role includes overseeing commissions, acquisitions across the group and managing the Sky Entertainment, Sky Cinema and Sky Kids brands.
Frot-Coutaz already looked after Sky’s comedy and drama across Europe as part of her remit. She will now also lead on U.K. and Ireland content as well as Sky News across Europe,...
- 2/8/2024
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Andrew Koji (Warrior), Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones) and T’Nia Miller (Fall of the House of Usher) have boarded the upcoming season of Gangs of London.
The pair join the likes of Phil Daniels and Ruth Sheen in the anticipated third season of the Sky and AMC+ series, which is produced by Pulse Films.
Koji will play an unnamed assassin at the heart of the unfolding mystery across the series. Cornelius Quinn, played by Dormer, is a face from the past whose arrival awakens old rivalries for Marian Wallace and Ed Dumani. Miller takes on the role of the formidable new Mayor of London set to wreak havoc for the gangs.
Season kicks off with ex-undercover cop Elliot Carter, played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísu, now operating as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but their business is thrown into chaos when their shipment of cocaine is spiked, resulting in the...
The pair join the likes of Phil Daniels and Ruth Sheen in the anticipated third season of the Sky and AMC+ series, which is produced by Pulse Films.
Koji will play an unnamed assassin at the heart of the unfolding mystery across the series. Cornelius Quinn, played by Dormer, is a face from the past whose arrival awakens old rivalries for Marian Wallace and Ed Dumani. Miller takes on the role of the formidable new Mayor of London set to wreak havoc for the gangs.
Season kicks off with ex-undercover cop Elliot Carter, played by Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísu, now operating as a top-level criminal alongside the Dumanis, but their business is thrown into chaos when their shipment of cocaine is spiked, resulting in the...
- 11/29/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Sky Studios has put in development a comedy series about medieval Essex from The Great writer Ava Pickett and Big Talk Studios.
Pickett, who is also penning the BBC’s Prêt-à-Porter adaptation, is behind Welcome to England, which we have learned is in early-stage development with The Outlaws maker Big Talk for Sky Studios.
Described as “The Great meets Shameless with a dash of Game Of Thrones,” Welcome to England is set in medieval Essex in the 10th century. Surrounded by war and bloodshed, the comedy focuses on a royal family including Evelyn, whose psychopathic and infuriating 15-year-old brother Aethelred has just become king.
The project is in its early stages and hasn’t yet been greenlit or set cast.
Sky Studios recently restructured scripted, bringing comedy and drama together under the leadership of Director of Original Series, UK and Ireland, Meghan Lyvers, following the departure of long-serving comedy commissioner Jon Mountague.
Pickett, who is also penning the BBC’s Prêt-à-Porter adaptation, is behind Welcome to England, which we have learned is in early-stage development with The Outlaws maker Big Talk for Sky Studios.
Described as “The Great meets Shameless with a dash of Game Of Thrones,” Welcome to England is set in medieval Essex in the 10th century. Surrounded by war and bloodshed, the comedy focuses on a royal family including Evelyn, whose psychopathic and infuriating 15-year-old brother Aethelred has just become king.
The project is in its early stages and hasn’t yet been greenlit or set cast.
Sky Studios recently restructured scripted, bringing comedy and drama together under the leadership of Director of Original Series, UK and Ireland, Meghan Lyvers, following the departure of long-serving comedy commissioner Jon Mountague.
- 10/27/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
“Like it or not there is an onus on actors,” said Mank star Tom Burke of the idea of global stars taking on the Green Rider unveiled earlier today, which will empower artists to add clauses to their contracts that work towards an environmental culture shift.
“We have been afforded an inordinate amount of power,” added the actor whose past credits include Strike and The Musketeers and who played Orson Welles in Mank. “I don’t want to start policing anyone on set but to know this is the sort of thing that can be talked about is realistic.”
Burke added that there has “probably been an anxiety” around actors openly discussing these environmental issues in the past.
Opening the Edinburgh TV Festival, Burke said actors he speaks to are “concerned about people taking the p*ss” when it comes to over-stressing environmental issues on set.
“I know there are...
“We have been afforded an inordinate amount of power,” added the actor whose past credits include Strike and The Musketeers and who played Orson Welles in Mank. “I don’t want to start policing anyone on set but to know this is the sort of thing that can be talked about is realistic.”
Burke added that there has “probably been an anxiety” around actors openly discussing these environmental issues in the past.
Opening the Edinburgh TV Festival, Burke said actors he speaks to are “concerned about people taking the p*ss” when it comes to over-stressing environmental issues on set.
“I know there are...
- 8/22/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Comcast-owned Sky Studios has added to its drama team, tapping two new executives and promoting others, Variety can reveal.
In a memo circulated today, drama director Meghan Lyvers confirmed that Bad Wolf producer Ellen Marsh has joined the team as head of series development while UTA’s Megan Spanjian is set to join later this summer as senior executive producer.
Sam Hoyle, who joined last year as an executive producer, has transitioned to the role of commissioning editor, reporting to Katherine Butler. Hoyle will work alongside Paul Gilbert, Manpreet Dosanjh and Sholla Caramba-Coker while Tilly Coulson will continue to head up development for commissioning.
And executive producer Adrian Sturges, whose projects include “Gangs of London” Season 3 and “Cobra” Season 3, has been upped to senior executive producer.
At Bad Wolf, Marsh co-produced the 60th anniversary specials of “Doctor Who” among other projects. She previously worked on “Industry” and “Succession” for HBO.
In a memo circulated today, drama director Meghan Lyvers confirmed that Bad Wolf producer Ellen Marsh has joined the team as head of series development while UTA’s Megan Spanjian is set to join later this summer as senior executive producer.
Sam Hoyle, who joined last year as an executive producer, has transitioned to the role of commissioning editor, reporting to Katherine Butler. Hoyle will work alongside Paul Gilbert, Manpreet Dosanjh and Sholla Caramba-Coker while Tilly Coulson will continue to head up development for commissioning.
And executive producer Adrian Sturges, whose projects include “Gangs of London” Season 3 and “Cobra” Season 3, has been upped to senior executive producer.
At Bad Wolf, Marsh co-produced the 60th anniversary specials of “Doctor Who” among other projects. She previously worked on “Industry” and “Succession” for HBO.
- 6/12/2023
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Big presence from US streamers at festival’s 6th edition.
Canneseries has lined up world premieres of series such as Silo, Dead Ringers, Fatal Attraction and Tapie for its sixth edition which runs parallel with MipTV from April 14-19.
Artistic director Albin Lewi highlighted the “massive presence of American series world premiering this year” including festival opener Silo produced for Apple TV+ by AMC Studios.
Stars Rebecca Ferguson, Morten Tyldum and Graham Yost will be at Canneseries for the world premiere of Silo, a dystopian tale that follows the last 10,000 people on earth.
The festival closes with episodes from the...
Canneseries has lined up world premieres of series such as Silo, Dead Ringers, Fatal Attraction and Tapie for its sixth edition which runs parallel with MipTV from April 14-19.
Artistic director Albin Lewi highlighted the “massive presence of American series world premiering this year” including festival opener Silo produced for Apple TV+ by AMC Studios.
Stars Rebecca Ferguson, Morten Tyldum and Graham Yost will be at Canneseries for the world premiere of Silo, a dystopian tale that follows the last 10,000 people on earth.
The festival closes with episodes from the...
- 3/28/2023
- by Rebecca Leffler
- ScreenDaily
Speaking at a panel organized by Series Mania’s Forum, executives from Sky Studios touted flexibility and autonomy as their keys to success, teasing further synergies with fellow Comcast-owned services like Peacock and SkyShowtime while emphasizing that such broadcast bids were but one option among many.
“[We take things] very case-by-case,” said Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios U.K. “Not all projects that we develop as Sky Originals in Europe will go into the SkyShowtime cluster of territories, [but] they can. And we [welcome] this flexibility, because it allows projects to come to us with other territories attached.”
Prompted by Variety’s Manori Ravindran, and flanked onstage by colleagues Nils Hartmann, Tobias Rosen and Sonia Rovai from Sky Studios Germany and Italy, Lyvers accented Sky Studios’ wider commissioning activities, saying: “This is the team that develops, commissions, or buys series, and then [either] makes or programs them on Sky as Sky Originals.
“[We take things] very case-by-case,” said Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios U.K. “Not all projects that we develop as Sky Originals in Europe will go into the SkyShowtime cluster of territories, [but] they can. And we [welcome] this flexibility, because it allows projects to come to us with other territories attached.”
Prompted by Variety’s Manori Ravindran, and flanked onstage by colleagues Nils Hartmann, Tobias Rosen and Sonia Rovai from Sky Studios Germany and Italy, Lyvers accented Sky Studios’ wider commissioning activities, saying: “This is the team that develops, commissions, or buys series, and then [either] makes or programs them on Sky as Sky Originals.
- 3/21/2023
- by Ben Croll
- Variety Film + TV
Sky is seeking inspiration from Happy Valley for its next hit show as programs boss Zai Bennett says the pay-tv giant is taking a ‘less is more’ approach to original content.
Speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild event this morning, Sky Studios Director of Original Drama Meghan Lyvers said conversations are taking place with producers about shows that have “an investigative spine with complicated, dysfunctional, flawed, human and relatable characters at the center,” evoking Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire’s Catherine Cawood.
She responded “perhaps yes” when questioned if the next big Sky drama could be led by a Cawood-esque figure and talked up the way in which the BBC One/AMC+ sensation places an older woman front and centre of the story. A similar show, the Kate Winslet-starring Mare of Easttown, was launched by Sky and HBO in 2021 to critical acclaim.
“There are always trends in terms of...
Speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild event this morning, Sky Studios Director of Original Drama Meghan Lyvers said conversations are taking place with producers about shows that have “an investigative spine with complicated, dysfunctional, flawed, human and relatable characters at the center,” evoking Happy Valley star Sarah Lancashire’s Catherine Cawood.
She responded “perhaps yes” when questioned if the next big Sky drama could be led by a Cawood-esque figure and talked up the way in which the BBC One/AMC+ sensation places an older woman front and centre of the story. A similar show, the Kate Winslet-starring Mare of Easttown, was launched by Sky and HBO in 2021 to critical acclaim.
“There are always trends in terms of...
- 2/6/2023
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Katherine Butler and Adrian Sturges join drama team led by UK & Ireland chief Meghan Lyvers.
Sky Studios, the production arm of European pay-tv giant Sky, have added The Ink Factory’s former creative director and the producer of Netflix’s The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself as it ramps up its drama team under UK & Ireland chief Meghan Lyvers.
Katherine Butler has joined the studio as director of drama commissioning for Uk&i, while Adrian Sturges joins as executive producer. Butler effectively replaces Gabriel Silver, who departed in September, and will join in the new year. Sturges takes up his role this month.
Sky Studios, the production arm of European pay-tv giant Sky, have added The Ink Factory’s former creative director and the producer of Netflix’s The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself as it ramps up its drama team under UK & Ireland chief Meghan Lyvers.
Katherine Butler has joined the studio as director of drama commissioning for Uk&i, while Adrian Sturges joins as executive producer. Butler effectively replaces Gabriel Silver, who departed in September, and will join in the new year. Sturges takes up his role this month.
- 12/7/2022
- by John Elmes Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
Sky Studios Names UK Drama Commissioning Boss
Sky Studios has appointed Katherine Butler, former creative director at The Night Manager producer The Ink Factory, as director of drama commissioning in the UK and Ireland. Butler will take up the role in January, replacing Gabriel Silver, who left Sky Studios in September. She will be focused on commissioning third-party producers, adding to a slate of Sky Studios originals that includes Gangs of London. Butler has previously worked at Raw, where she produced American Animals, and Film4, where she was Deputy Head of Film. Sky Studios has also hired Adrian Sturges, producer of Netflix series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, as a drama executive producer. Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios, said: “Katherine and Adrian are each respected and seasoned executives in the creative community and, together with our wider team, we cannot wait to bring audiences...
Sky Studios has appointed Katherine Butler, former creative director at The Night Manager producer The Ink Factory, as director of drama commissioning in the UK and Ireland. Butler will take up the role in January, replacing Gabriel Silver, who left Sky Studios in September. She will be focused on commissioning third-party producers, adding to a slate of Sky Studios originals that includes Gangs of London. Butler has previously worked at Raw, where she produced American Animals, and Film4, where she was Deputy Head of Film. Sky Studios has also hired Adrian Sturges, producer of Netflix series The Bastard Son & The Devil Himself, as a drama executive producer. Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios, said: “Katherine and Adrian are each respected and seasoned executives in the creative community and, together with our wider team, we cannot wait to bring audiences...
- 12/7/2022
- by Jake Kanter, Max Goldbart and Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Spy thriller “The Day of the Jackal” is getting a reimagined TV adaptation from “Downton Abbey” producers Carnival Films.
U.K. pay-tv operator Sky and streaming service Peacock have commissioned an original series inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s novel and its award-winning 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures.
The new series is described as a “contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film.” The project will remain true to the DNA of the original IP, but will delve deeper into the “anti-hero” of the story in a high-octane “cat and mouse thriller” that’s set amid a turbulent geo-political landscape.
First published in 1971, “The Day of the Jackal” tells the story of a professional assassin, known only as the “Jackal,” who is hired by French dissident org the Oas to kill then-President of France Charles de Gaulle.
The series will be produced by Universal International Studios-backed Carnival Films,...
U.K. pay-tv operator Sky and streaming service Peacock have commissioned an original series inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s novel and its award-winning 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures.
The new series is described as a “contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film.” The project will remain true to the DNA of the original IP, but will delve deeper into the “anti-hero” of the story in a high-octane “cat and mouse thriller” that’s set amid a turbulent geo-political landscape.
First published in 1971, “The Day of the Jackal” tells the story of a professional assassin, known only as the “Jackal,” who is hired by French dissident org the Oas to kill then-President of France Charles de Gaulle.
The series will be produced by Universal International Studios-backed Carnival Films,...
- 11/3/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Comcast’s Peacock and Sky are partnering on an original drama series inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s espionage thriller The Day of The Jackal and the 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures.
Screenwriter Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) is attached as writer and showrunner, with Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther) serving as lead director.
The series will be produced by Carnival Films (Downton Abbey), part of Universal International Studios, in association with Sky Studios.
“The new series is a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film,” the companies said. “While remaining true to the DNA of the original IP, this contemporary drama will delve deeper into the chameleon-like ‘anti-hero’ at the heart of the story, in a high octane, cinematic, globetrotting ‘cat and mouse’ thriller, set amidst the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time.”
Production will start in the summer.
Comcast’s Peacock and Sky are partnering on an original drama series inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s espionage thriller The Day of The Jackal and the 1973 film adaptation from Universal Pictures.
Screenwriter Ronan Bennett (Top Boy) is attached as writer and showrunner, with Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther) serving as lead director.
The series will be produced by Carnival Films (Downton Abbey), part of Universal International Studios, in association with Sky Studios.
“The new series is a bold, contemporary reimagining of the beloved and respected novel and film,” the companies said. “While remaining true to the DNA of the original IP, this contemporary drama will delve deeper into the chameleon-like ‘anti-hero’ at the heart of the story, in a high octane, cinematic, globetrotting ‘cat and mouse’ thriller, set amidst the turbulent geo-political landscape of our time.”
Production will start in the summer.
- 11/3/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Oscar winner Julianne Moore is set to lead Sky and AMC period-drama series Mary & George, about powerful royal family favourites Mary Villiers and her son George.
Based on a true story, the eight-part limited series is created by DC Moore, whose credits include Killing Eve, Temple and Not Safe For Work.
Julianne Moore will play Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham, who in 17th Century England moulded her beautiful son, George, to seduce King James I and become his all-powerful lover. Through outrageous scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest, most titled, and influential mother and sons England had ever seen. The series is due to begin filming in early 2023.
The series will mark only the second time Moore has led a TV drama after 2021 Apple mini-series Lisey’s Story.
Mary & George is produced by Liza Marshall’s Hera Pictures in association with Sky Studios...
Based on a true story, the eight-part limited series is created by DC Moore, whose credits include Killing Eve, Temple and Not Safe For Work.
Julianne Moore will play Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham, who in 17th Century England moulded her beautiful son, George, to seduce King James I and become his all-powerful lover. Through outrageous scheming, the pair rose from humble beginnings to become one of the richest, most titled, and influential mother and sons England had ever seen. The series is due to begin filming in early 2023.
The series will mark only the second time Moore has led a TV drama after 2021 Apple mini-series Lisey’s Story.
Mary & George is produced by Liza Marshall’s Hera Pictures in association with Sky Studios...
- 10/17/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Sky Studios has confirmed its commitment to premium content at Mia Market in Rome.
“When we say premium, we talk about mature, provocative, sophisticated storytelling,” said Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios U.K. Noting the company’s interest in prestige, high-end limited series (“‘Chernobyl’ was an incredible example of that”), “blockbuster” event series, but also ones that can potentially return.
An adaptation of Heather Morris’ novel “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is in the works, which will see Sky partnering up with Peacock. TNT has acquired “The Lazarus Project,” while crime series “A Town Called Malice,” created by Nick Love and launching next spring, will be a “love letter” to the 1980s.
“We will continue to push forward these ambitious stories,” assured Lyvers.
In Italy, viewers can expect the second season of “Romulus,” shot in proto-Latin, while “Django” with Matthias Schoenaerts as a Wild West gunslinger will premiere internationally on Sunday.
“When we say premium, we talk about mature, provocative, sophisticated storytelling,” said Meghan Lyvers, director of original drama at Sky Studios U.K. Noting the company’s interest in prestige, high-end limited series (“‘Chernobyl’ was an incredible example of that”), “blockbuster” event series, but also ones that can potentially return.
An adaptation of Heather Morris’ novel “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is in the works, which will see Sky partnering up with Peacock. TNT has acquired “The Lazarus Project,” while crime series “A Town Called Malice,” created by Nick Love and launching next spring, will be a “love letter” to the 1980s.
“We will continue to push forward these ambitious stories,” assured Lyvers.
In Italy, viewers can expect the second season of “Romulus,” shot in proto-Latin, while “Django” with Matthias Schoenaerts as a Wild West gunslinger will premiere internationally on Sunday.
- 10/14/2022
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
International co-productions are all the rage right now, and Europe’s top players are looking to the U.S. for partners.
So it was no surprise when Sky Studios new UK drama chief Meghan Lyvers took the time to point to the impact an American partner can have on international projects during a session at Mia Market in Rome.
With Comcast cousin Peacock in the same family, Sky Studios has significant opportunities to order programs of scale and impact, said Lyvers, noting that the U.S. streamer was a co-pro partner on upcoming drama adaptation The Tattooist of Auschwitz. “It’s an incredibly ambitious story and a complicated shoot,” she said. “We’re excited about the ambition of that story. We’ve got a high profile cast that we’re going to be announcing soon.”
Questioned about how Sky Studios will work with HBO going forwards, amid increasing speculation Sky...
So it was no surprise when Sky Studios new UK drama chief Meghan Lyvers took the time to point to the impact an American partner can have on international projects during a session at Mia Market in Rome.
With Comcast cousin Peacock in the same family, Sky Studios has significant opportunities to order programs of scale and impact, said Lyvers, noting that the U.S. streamer was a co-pro partner on upcoming drama adaptation The Tattooist of Auschwitz. “It’s an incredibly ambitious story and a complicated shoot,” she said. “We’re excited about the ambition of that story. We’ve got a high profile cast that we’re going to be announcing soon.”
Questioned about how Sky Studios will work with HBO going forwards, amid increasing speculation Sky...
- 10/13/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Italy’s International Audiovisual Market Mia is expecting a return to full force this year ahead of its eighth edition in Rome from October 11 to 15.
Speaking at a preview press conference on Thursday, director Gaia Tridente said the meeting had registered a 12 rise in attendance this year with accreditations still open, although she did not give precise figures.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mia welcomed 2,500 attendees in 2019, while there were 2,000 registered attendees in 2021 when travel was still restricted.
This year marks the inaugural edition for Tridente who was previously head of scripted at Mia.
Based around Rome’s historic Barberini Palace and the nearby newly refurbished Barberini Cinema, the event spans a traditional market, co-production meetings and a conference.
Expected guests include Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, Netflix Emea TV boss Larry Tanz, Lionsgate TV Group president Sandra Stern and Fremantle COO and continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati as well as...
Speaking at a preview press conference on Thursday, director Gaia Tridente said the meeting had registered a 12 rise in attendance this year with accreditations still open, although she did not give precise figures.
Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, Mia welcomed 2,500 attendees in 2019, while there were 2,000 registered attendees in 2021 when travel was still restricted.
This year marks the inaugural edition for Tridente who was previously head of scripted at Mia.
Based around Rome’s historic Barberini Palace and the nearby newly refurbished Barberini Cinema, the event spans a traditional market, co-production meetings and a conference.
Expected guests include Banijay CEO Marco Bassetti, Netflix Emea TV boss Larry Tanz, Lionsgate TV Group president Sandra Stern and Fremantle COO and continental Europe CEO Andrea Scrosati as well as...
- 10/6/2022
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Drama commissioners Gabriel Silver and Liz Lewin and production head Amanda Wilkie-Sweeney are leaving.
Drama commissioners Gabriel Silver and Liz Lewin and production head Amanda Wilkie-Sweeney are leaving Sky Studios, Screen’s sister site Broadcast has learned.
It is believed all three have irons in the fire in terms of new roles, though the details are not known.
The trio follow Preethi Mavahalli out of the pay-tv provider’s drama department, who joined Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen earlier this week.
Lewin and Wilkie-Sweeney resigned over the summer, while Silver’s departure was communicated to staff earlier this week.
Sky Studio...
Drama commissioners Gabriel Silver and Liz Lewin and production head Amanda Wilkie-Sweeney are leaving Sky Studios, Screen’s sister site Broadcast has learned.
It is believed all three have irons in the fire in terms of new roles, though the details are not known.
The trio follow Preethi Mavahalli out of the pay-tv provider’s drama department, who joined Ben Stephenson’s Poison Pen earlier this week.
Lewin and Wilkie-Sweeney resigned over the summer, while Silver’s departure was communicated to staff earlier this week.
Sky Studio...
- 9/23/2022
- by Alex Farber Broadcast
- ScreenDaily
Sky Studios has hired CBS Studios international co-pros chief Meghan Lyvers as it seeks to significantly scale up its original UK drama output.
Lyvers will become Director of Original Drama, UK & Ireland — a new role that will see her have oversight of all premium original dramas commissioned and produced at the Gangs of London and Chernobyl company, which is Sky’s original programming arm in Europe. She is set to join in late summer in the UK.
Lyvers team will include Gabriel Silver, who was upped to Director of Drama Commissioning last year and will continue to lead on commissioned Sky Original drama projects such as the upcoming The Lazarus Project and The Baby, and Preethi Mavahalli, who joined earlier this year from Mammoth Screen as Creative Director.
Silver and Mavahalli have been overseeing Sky Studios’ drama output in the wake of former Director of Drama Cameron Roach’s exit,...
Lyvers will become Director of Original Drama, UK & Ireland — a new role that will see her have oversight of all premium original dramas commissioned and produced at the Gangs of London and Chernobyl company, which is Sky’s original programming arm in Europe. She is set to join in late summer in the UK.
Lyvers team will include Gabriel Silver, who was upped to Director of Drama Commissioning last year and will continue to lead on commissioned Sky Original drama projects such as the upcoming The Lazarus Project and The Baby, and Preethi Mavahalli, who joined earlier this year from Mammoth Screen as Creative Director.
Silver and Mavahalli have been overseeing Sky Studios’ drama output in the wake of former Director of Drama Cameron Roach’s exit,...
- 6/8/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Sky Studios, Comcast-owned Sky’s content production arm, has named Meghan Lyvers to the role of director of original drama, U.K. & Ireland as the unit “targets a significant increase in the investment and scale of Sky original drama.”
She is expected to join Sky Studios in late summer and will relocate from Amsterdam to London, reporting to Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz. Lyvers will also work closely with the wider original content teams at Sky U.K., Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia.
In the newly created role, Lyvers will “oversee an increasingly diverse slate of premium Sky original dramas for Sky’s customers in the U.K. and Ireland and joins Sky Studios at a time when it is deepening its investment in U.K., European and global projects of scale, including Gangs of London, M: Son of the Century and the...
Sky Studios, Comcast-owned Sky’s content production arm, has named Meghan Lyvers to the role of director of original drama, U.K. & Ireland as the unit “targets a significant increase in the investment and scale of Sky original drama.”
She is expected to join Sky Studios in late summer and will relocate from Amsterdam to London, reporting to Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz. Lyvers will also work closely with the wider original content teams at Sky U.K., Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia.
In the newly created role, Lyvers will “oversee an increasingly diverse slate of premium Sky original dramas for Sky’s customers in the U.K. and Ireland and joins Sky Studios at a time when it is deepening its investment in U.K., European and global projects of scale, including Gangs of London, M: Son of the Century and the...
- 6/8/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS Studios’ Meghan Lyvers is heading to Sky Studios in a new role as director of original drama for the U.K. and Ireland. She joins in late summer, moving from Amsterdam to London to take up the role.
At Sky Studios, Sky’s original programming arm, Lyvers will oversee Sky Original dramas, a brand which already includes “Gangs of London,” “M: Son of the Century” and “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.”
Her team will include director of drama commissioning Gabriel Silver and creative director Preethi Mavahalli as well as working closely with the original content teams at Sky’s U.K., German and Italian outposts. Lyvers, who will report to Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz, will have “strategic oversight over all drama projects commissioned and produced for Sky UK’s customers with a view to creating shows with global impact and appeal.”
At CBS Studios Lyvers was the SVP and...
At Sky Studios, Sky’s original programming arm, Lyvers will oversee Sky Original dramas, a brand which already includes “Gangs of London,” “M: Son of the Century” and “The Tattooist of Auschwitz.”
Her team will include director of drama commissioning Gabriel Silver and creative director Preethi Mavahalli as well as working closely with the original content teams at Sky’s U.K., German and Italian outposts. Lyvers, who will report to Sky Studios CEO Cécile Frot-Coutaz, will have “strategic oversight over all drama projects commissioned and produced for Sky UK’s customers with a view to creating shows with global impact and appeal.”
At CBS Studios Lyvers was the SVP and...
- 6/8/2022
- by K.J. Yossman
- Variety Film + TV
Commission
Warner Bros. Discovery U.K. is re-teaming with Optomen TV to produce a follow-up to “Johnny vs Amber,” a two-part documentary which explored Johnny Depp’s defamation trial in the U.K. High Court with explosive evidence, intimate personal archive and in-depth interviews from both legal teams. Following the success of that documentary, the follow up will be focused on the recent and very high-profile legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, this time in the U.S. The two-part Discovery+ documentary will again look at the extensive evidence and testimony of both Depp and Heard. Each episode will present one side of the argument through legal teams, friends, family and key witnesses.
In addition, Discovery+ has also greenlit two further ‘vs’ series: “Coleen vs Rebekah,” will examine the recent U.K. court battle between high profile footballers’ wives Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy; and “Britney vs Jamie,...
Warner Bros. Discovery U.K. is re-teaming with Optomen TV to produce a follow-up to “Johnny vs Amber,” a two-part documentary which explored Johnny Depp’s defamation trial in the U.K. High Court with explosive evidence, intimate personal archive and in-depth interviews from both legal teams. Following the success of that documentary, the follow up will be focused on the recent and very high-profile legal battle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, this time in the U.S. The two-part Discovery+ documentary will again look at the extensive evidence and testimony of both Depp and Heard. Each episode will present one side of the argument through legal teams, friends, family and key witnesses.
In addition, Discovery+ has also greenlit two further ‘vs’ series: “Coleen vs Rebekah,” will examine the recent U.K. court battle between high profile footballers’ wives Coleen Rooney and Rebekah Vardy; and “Britney vs Jamie,...
- 5/31/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Production has got underway in Germany and Poland on “Oderbruch,” a major thriller series produced by Paramount Global’s CBS Studios, Syrreal Entertainment and Ard Degeto, part of German public broadcast group Ard.
The previously announced drama stars Karoline Schuch (“Dark Woods”), Felix Kramer (“Dogs of Berlin”) and Lucas Gregorowicz and is a tale which begins with the discovery of multiple murder victims in a remote area near the German-Polish border.
The eight-part series is directed by Adolfo J. Kolmerer and Christian Alvart. Series creator and head writer Arend Remmers developed the series concept with Kolmerer.
Siegfried Kamml, Christian Alvart and Timm Oberwelland from Syrreal serve as producers. The executives overseeing the project are: Christoph Pellander, editor-in-chief of Ard Degeto; Sebastian Lückel, head of acquisitions and co-productions at Ard Degeto; Patrick Noel Simon, commissioning editor at Ard Degeto; and Meghan Lyvers, senior VP of international co-productions and development at CBS Studios.
The previously announced drama stars Karoline Schuch (“Dark Woods”), Felix Kramer (“Dogs of Berlin”) and Lucas Gregorowicz and is a tale which begins with the discovery of multiple murder victims in a remote area near the German-Polish border.
The eight-part series is directed by Adolfo J. Kolmerer and Christian Alvart. Series creator and head writer Arend Remmers developed the series concept with Kolmerer.
Siegfried Kamml, Christian Alvart and Timm Oberwelland from Syrreal serve as producers. The executives overseeing the project are: Christoph Pellander, editor-in-chief of Ard Degeto; Sebastian Lückel, head of acquisitions and co-productions at Ard Degeto; Patrick Noel Simon, commissioning editor at Ard Degeto; and Meghan Lyvers, senior VP of international co-productions and development at CBS Studios.
- 5/5/2022
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Oderbruch (working title), the CBS Studios and Syrreal Entertainment supernatural mystery drama for Germany’s Ard Degato, has added four cast members, as principal photography begins this week.
André Hennicke (Pandorum), Alix Heyblom (Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo), Winfried Glatzeder (Die Legende von Paul und Paula), Robert Glatzeder (In Aller Freudschaft) and Jan Krauter (3 1/2 Hours) are onboard the eight-part series, which is currently filming in Görlitz, Germany and will also shoot in Poland.
The series follows Detective Roland Voit (Felix Kramer) on a serial murder case after after numerous victims shock the Oderbruch region of Germany. His former colleague and childhood sweetheart, Maggie Kring (Karoline Schuch), joins the police investigation when her family comes under immediate suspicion.
Adolfo J. Kolmerer and Christian Alvart are directing, with Siegfried Kamml, Christian Alvart and Timm Oberwelland from Syrreal producing. Overseeing the shoot are Ard Degato trio Christoph Pellander, Sebastian Lückel and Patrick Noel Simon and Meghan Lyvers,...
André Hennicke (Pandorum), Alix Heyblom (Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo), Winfried Glatzeder (Die Legende von Paul und Paula), Robert Glatzeder (In Aller Freudschaft) and Jan Krauter (3 1/2 Hours) are onboard the eight-part series, which is currently filming in Görlitz, Germany and will also shoot in Poland.
The series follows Detective Roland Voit (Felix Kramer) on a serial murder case after after numerous victims shock the Oderbruch region of Germany. His former colleague and childhood sweetheart, Maggie Kring (Karoline Schuch), joins the police investigation when her family comes under immediate suspicion.
Adolfo J. Kolmerer and Christian Alvart are directing, with Siegfried Kamml, Christian Alvart and Timm Oberwelland from Syrreal producing. Overseeing the shoot are Ard Degato trio Christoph Pellander, Sebastian Lückel and Patrick Noel Simon and Meghan Lyvers,...
- 5/5/2022
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Last Tango In Paris is getting its own The Offer-style making of drama series.
The tumultuous events surrounding the making of the 1972 erotic drama, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, is to be turned into a television series by CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures.
The series comes from Entourage and Boston Public writers Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn with Killing Eve’s Lisa Brühlmann and Narcos’ José Padilha to co-direct.
The project, set in Italy, France and the U.S., will span the 18 months before, during and after the production of the film and will explore questions of identity, fame, and artistic ambition. Told through the lens of those at the center of the events – Schneider, Brando and Bertolucci – the series will begin with Bertolucci traveling to Los Angeles in 1971 to convince a broken-down and bankrupt Brando to take a role in his upcoming...
The tumultuous events surrounding the making of the 1972 erotic drama, directed by Bernardo Bertolucci and starring Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider, is to be turned into a television series by CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures.
The series comes from Entourage and Boston Public writers Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn with Killing Eve’s Lisa Brühlmann and Narcos’ José Padilha to co-direct.
The project, set in Italy, France and the U.S., will span the 18 months before, during and after the production of the film and will explore questions of identity, fame, and artistic ambition. Told through the lens of those at the center of the events – Schneider, Brando and Bertolucci – the series will begin with Bertolucci traveling to Los Angeles in 1971 to convince a broken-down and bankrupt Brando to take a role in his upcoming...
- 11/29/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
The tumultuous events surrounding the making of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1973 film “Last Tango in Paris” will be the subject of a limited series to be co-directed by Lisa Brühlmann (“Killing Eve”) and José Padilha (“Narcos”).
The series, titled “Tango,” is part of the international first-look agreement between CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures, an independent entertainment media company founded by former Warner Bros. Pictures president Greg Silverman.
The series, set in Italy, France and the U.S., written by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, will span the 18 months before, during and after the production of “Last Tango in Paris,” and will be told through the lens of those at the center of the events — stars Maria Schneider, Marlon Brando and Bertolucci.
The film is known for its infamous rape scene, which Bertolucci admitted decades later was not consensual.
“Controversy plagued the film following its release in January of 1973, while Brando and...
The series, titled “Tango,” is part of the international first-look agreement between CBS Studios and Stampede Ventures, an independent entertainment media company founded by former Warner Bros. Pictures president Greg Silverman.
The series, set in Italy, France and the U.S., written by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, will span the 18 months before, during and after the production of “Last Tango in Paris,” and will be told through the lens of those at the center of the events — stars Maria Schneider, Marlon Brando and Bertolucci.
The film is known for its infamous rape scene, which Bertolucci admitted decades later was not consensual.
“Controversy plagued the film following its release in January of 1973, while Brando and...
- 11/29/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
CBS Studios is backing Tango, a limited event series based on the tumultuous events surrounding the making of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 erotic drama Last Tango in Paris.
Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve) and José Padilha (Narcos) will co-direct the series, with Greg Silverman and Jp Sarni of Stampede Ventures executive producing. CBS Studios will co-produce under its international first-look agreement with Stampede, with SVP of international co-productions and development Meghan Lyvers overseeing the project for the studio.
Based on a script by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, Tango traces the 18 months before, during and after the production of Last Tango in Paris, exploring the story through ...
Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve) and José Padilha (Narcos) will co-direct the series, with Greg Silverman and Jp Sarni of Stampede Ventures executive producing. CBS Studios will co-produce under its international first-look agreement with Stampede, with SVP of international co-productions and development Meghan Lyvers overseeing the project for the studio.
Based on a script by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, Tango traces the 18 months before, during and after the production of Last Tango in Paris, exploring the story through ...
- 11/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
CBS Studios is backing Tango, a limited event series based on the tumultuous events surrounding the making of Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1972 erotic drama Last Tango in Paris.
Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve) and José Padilha (Narcos) will co-direct the series, with Greg Silverman and Jp Sarni of Stampede Ventures executive producing. CBS Studios will co-produce under its international first-look agreement with Stampede, with SVP of international co-productions and development Meghan Lyvers overseeing the project for the studio.
Based on a script by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, Tango traces the 18 months before, during and after the production of Last Tango in Paris, exploring the story through ...
Lisa Brühlmann (Killing Eve) and José Padilha (Narcos) will co-direct the series, with Greg Silverman and Jp Sarni of Stampede Ventures executive producing. CBS Studios will co-produce under its international first-look agreement with Stampede, with SVP of international co-productions and development Meghan Lyvers overseeing the project for the studio.
Based on a script by Jeremy Miller and Daniel Cohn, Tango traces the 18 months before, during and after the production of Last Tango in Paris, exploring the story through ...
- 11/29/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
CBS Studios has partnered with Syrreal Entertainment and Ard Degeto for an ‘elevated genre-drama’ for the latter’s online platform Ard Mediathek.
Oderbruch will begin with the discovery of numerous murder victims in the eponymous region in Germany. Ex-cop Maggie Kring (Karoline Schuch) and detective Roland Voit (Felix Kramer) will be brought together after more than 20 years of separation to examine the case, which becomes a personal one for Maggie as it is connected to the mysterious death of her brother from many years before.
Filming will begin in Germany and Poland next year for the show, which is created by Arend Remmers and Adolfo J. Kolmerer. Executive producers are Christoph Pellander, Sebastian Luckel, Patrick Noel Simon and CBS Studios’ Meghan Lyvers. ViacomCBS Global Distribution will distribute outside of German speaking territories.
The drama is the second to come from a first-look TV deal struck between CBS Studios and Syrreal...
Oderbruch will begin with the discovery of numerous murder victims in the eponymous region in Germany. Ex-cop Maggie Kring (Karoline Schuch) and detective Roland Voit (Felix Kramer) will be brought together after more than 20 years of separation to examine the case, which becomes a personal one for Maggie as it is connected to the mysterious death of her brother from many years before.
Filming will begin in Germany and Poland next year for the show, which is created by Arend Remmers and Adolfo J. Kolmerer. Executive producers are Christoph Pellander, Sebastian Luckel, Patrick Noel Simon and CBS Studios’ Meghan Lyvers. ViacomCBS Global Distribution will distribute outside of German speaking territories.
The drama is the second to come from a first-look TV deal struck between CBS Studios and Syrreal...
- 10/5/2021
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Munich Match is a drama series inspired by the infamous 1972 Olympics massacre. Creator Michal Aviram, who writes and exec produces the Sky series, said during the series’ pane at Deadline’s New Tube event that she had a “deep fixation” on the famous photo from the Olympic Village balcony and wanted to create a show inspired by these events.
“I was really fascinated by the story, it was so powerful, people from Israel, Jewish, coming to Germany for a very peaceful sporting event, and you thought this could never happen again… after the war. It was like a knife to the heart and really influenced Israel and Germany in many ways,” she said.
The six-part series is set 50 years after the massacre and Munich is hosting a “friendly” soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Tensions and nerves are running high, with the political stakes even higher...
“I was really fascinated by the story, it was so powerful, people from Israel, Jewish, coming to Germany for a very peaceful sporting event, and you thought this could never happen again… after the war. It was like a knife to the heart and really influenced Israel and Germany in many ways,” she said.
The six-part series is set 50 years after the massacre and Munich is hosting a “friendly” soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Tensions and nerves are running high, with the political stakes even higher...
- 9/24/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
‘Fauda’ Writer Michal Aviram Sets Thriller Series ‘Munich Match’ at CBS Studios, Sky, Amusement Park
Michal Aviram, one of the writers of global hit series “Fauda,” has created six-part drama thriller series “Munich Match” (working title).
The series is set in 2022, 50 years after the Munich Massacre, a terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. On the anniversary of the attack, Munich is hosting a friendly soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Political stakes are high and everything is being done to make the match a safe and peaceful event, but history might be repeating all over again.
Aviram wrote the scripts with Martin Behnke (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”). Philipp Kadelbach (“We Children from Bahnhof Zoo”) is directing.
The series, produced by Sky Studios, Amusement Park Film (“A Most Wanted Man”) and CBS Studios, will commence principal photography in Germany this month.
Daniel Brühl, Amelie von Kienlin and Malte Grunert from Amusement Park Film, Frank Jastfelder and Julia Jaensch from Sky Studios, Meghan Lyvers from CBS Studios,...
The series is set in 2022, 50 years after the Munich Massacre, a terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. On the anniversary of the attack, Munich is hosting a friendly soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Political stakes are high and everything is being done to make the match a safe and peaceful event, but history might be repeating all over again.
Aviram wrote the scripts with Martin Behnke (“Berlin Alexanderplatz”). Philipp Kadelbach (“We Children from Bahnhof Zoo”) is directing.
The series, produced by Sky Studios, Amusement Park Film (“A Most Wanted Man”) and CBS Studios, will commence principal photography in Germany this month.
Daniel Brühl, Amelie von Kienlin and Malte Grunert from Amusement Park Film, Frank Jastfelder and Julia Jaensch from Sky Studios, Meghan Lyvers from CBS Studios,...
- 9/2/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Sky has ordered a terrorist drama series about an incident in Germany set 50 years after the Munich massacre.
The broadcaster has ordered Munich Match (w/t) from CBS Studios, A Most Wanted Man producer Amusement Park Film and its own Sky Studios.
It marks one of the most high-profile projects for CBS Studios internationally after the ViacomCBS unit began ramping up its global presence.
The series will launch across all Sky territories including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland with production starting this month in Germany.
The six-part series is set 50 years after the Munich Massacre; a traumatic terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. It’s now 2022, and on the anniversary of the attack, Munich is hosting a ‘friendly’ soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Tensions and nerves are running high, with the political stakes even higher as the eyes of the world watch on.
The broadcaster has ordered Munich Match (w/t) from CBS Studios, A Most Wanted Man producer Amusement Park Film and its own Sky Studios.
It marks one of the most high-profile projects for CBS Studios internationally after the ViacomCBS unit began ramping up its global presence.
The series will launch across all Sky territories including the United Kingdom, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland with production starting this month in Germany.
The six-part series is set 50 years after the Munich Massacre; a traumatic terrorist attack on the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. It’s now 2022, and on the anniversary of the attack, Munich is hosting a ‘friendly’ soccer game between an Israeli and a German football club. Tensions and nerves are running high, with the political stakes even higher as the eyes of the world watch on.
- 9/2/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
CBS Studios is developing Broadmoor, a drama series intended for the UK/International premium and streaming market. The series, created by screenwriter/playwright Jeffrey Hatcher, is produced by Fulwell 73, which counts James Corden among its partners, in association with CBS Studios, where the company is based, and Miramax, in which ViacomCBS owns 49%.
Inspired by true events, Broadmoor is based on the famous British high-security psychiatric hospital, originally known as the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. It features overlapping stories about the staff, the visitors and, of course, the patients that included maniacs, stranglers, slashers and serial killers. Set against the backdrop of a crumbling 1970s-80s Britain on the edge of violent social change, the series follows a young woman who goes to Broadmoor believing that murderous behavior can be understood, treated, even tamed, only to find she has entered a warehouse for England’s fears, the locked attic where its...
Inspired by true events, Broadmoor is based on the famous British high-security psychiatric hospital, originally known as the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. It features overlapping stories about the staff, the visitors and, of course, the patients that included maniacs, stranglers, slashers and serial killers. Set against the backdrop of a crumbling 1970s-80s Britain on the edge of violent social change, the series follows a young woman who goes to Broadmoor believing that murderous behavior can be understood, treated, even tamed, only to find she has entered a warehouse for England’s fears, the locked attic where its...
- 8/26/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
CBS Studios has begun rolling cameras in the Netherlands on its series “Bestseller Boy” for Dutch broadcaster Avrotros.
The contemporary comedy drama is inspired by the eponymous best-selling novel and the real life of rising literary star Mano Bouzamour, and his struggles as a Dutch-Moroccan millennial navigating two cultures, overnight success and identity in Amsterdam. Emerging talent Shahine El-Hamus, who starred in “Promise of Pisa” and recently won the Golden Calf Award for best actor at the Netherlands Film Festival, will play the lead role of Momo Zebbi.
Created by producer Robert Alberdingk Thijm (“A’dam & Eva”) and Bouzamour, “Bestseller Boy” is written by Thijm and Bouzamour and directed by Norbert ter Hall and Sharif Abdel Mawla. Alon Aranya (“Tehran”) serves as executive producer alongside Hall and Bouzamour.
The series is produced by CBS Studios and Willy Waltz International in association with Paper Plane Productions. CBS Studios has remake and...
The contemporary comedy drama is inspired by the eponymous best-selling novel and the real life of rising literary star Mano Bouzamour, and his struggles as a Dutch-Moroccan millennial navigating two cultures, overnight success and identity in Amsterdam. Emerging talent Shahine El-Hamus, who starred in “Promise of Pisa” and recently won the Golden Calf Award for best actor at the Netherlands Film Festival, will play the lead role of Momo Zebbi.
Created by producer Robert Alberdingk Thijm (“A’dam & Eva”) and Bouzamour, “Bestseller Boy” is written by Thijm and Bouzamour and directed by Norbert ter Hall and Sharif Abdel Mawla. Alon Aranya (“Tehran”) serves as executive producer alongside Hall and Bouzamour.
The series is produced by CBS Studios and Willy Waltz International in association with Paper Plane Productions. CBS Studios has remake and...
- 7/15/2021
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
David Hasselhoff is heading to Germany to star in a comedy spy series produced by Christian Alvart’s Berlin-based Syrreal Entertainment in what will be the first project from the company’s new international first-look deal with CBS Studios.
A straight-to-series order for Mediengruppe Rtl’s SVOD platform TVNow, “Ze Network” sees Hasselhoff playing himself as he travels to Germany to headline a stage production in what he believes is a major theater in East Berlin, only to discover it’s actually a small venue located “east of Berlin” — in the town of Görlitz. Once there, the Hoff is plunged into the center of an international conspiracy of former Cold War assassins, while around him the fabric of reality seems to break down.
German actor Henry Hübchen likewise plays himself, co-starring with Hasselhoff in the play. This version of Hübchen, however, has a more shadowy East German past than his...
A straight-to-series order for Mediengruppe Rtl’s SVOD platform TVNow, “Ze Network” sees Hasselhoff playing himself as he travels to Germany to headline a stage production in what he believes is a major theater in East Berlin, only to discover it’s actually a small venue located “east of Berlin” — in the town of Görlitz. Once there, the Hoff is plunged into the center of an international conspiracy of former Cold War assassins, while around him the fabric of reality seems to break down.
German actor Henry Hübchen likewise plays himself, co-starring with Hasselhoff in the play. This version of Hübchen, however, has a more shadowy East German past than his...
- 3/22/2021
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: CBS Studios has struck a global first-look deal with Greg Silverman’s Stampede Ventures International and has set its first project – an adaptation of Ragnar Jónasson’s best-selling Nordic noir book The Darkness.
The two companies will work together to source, acquire and develop premium scripted content for the international market that is creatively anchored outside the United States.
The first project is a series adaptation of Jónasson’s The Darkness, from his Hulda series of crime novels. Rising writer Andrea Janakas, who wrote Amanda Seyfried-fronted short film Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, is attached to write
The eight-part series is set in Reykjavik, Iceland, among the isolated fjords. It follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who is given two weeks, before retirement to solve the cold case of a young Russian woman, whose body washes up on an Icelandic shore. Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time,...
The two companies will work together to source, acquire and develop premium scripted content for the international market that is creatively anchored outside the United States.
The first project is a series adaptation of Jónasson’s The Darkness, from his Hulda series of crime novels. Rising writer Andrea Janakas, who wrote Amanda Seyfried-fronted short film Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves, is attached to write
The eight-part series is set in Reykjavik, Iceland, among the isolated fjords. It follows Detective Inspector Hulda Hermannsdóttir, who is given two weeks, before retirement to solve the cold case of a young Russian woman, whose body washes up on an Icelandic shore. Hulda discovers that another young woman vanished at the same time,...
- 9/16/2020
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
CBS Studios is developing a Dutch dramedy inspired by Mano Bouzamour’s novel Bestseller Boy. The local-language series is in the works for Dutch broadcaster Avrotros via Npo.
Bestseller Boy is the studio’s latest international development following Israeli drama District Y, the police drama from the team behind Fauda and Homeland that marked CBS Studios’ first non-English language international co-production.
The project is inspired by the eponymous novel by Dutch-Moroccan literary star Mano Bouzamour, about his struggles as a millennial navigating two cultures, overnight success and identity in Amsterdam.
It is written by Robert Alberdingk-Thijm, creator of A’Dam & Eva, which is being remade at NBC, Franky Ribbens, creator of Hollands Hoop, which is in development for a remake at Showtime, and Pieter Bart-Korthuis, creator of Penoza, which was remade for ABC as Red Widow.
The series is being produced by Alberdingk-Thijm, Ribbens, Bart-Korthuis’ Midpoint Productions, Bouzamour and Alon Aranya,...
Bestseller Boy is the studio’s latest international development following Israeli drama District Y, the police drama from the team behind Fauda and Homeland that marked CBS Studios’ first non-English language international co-production.
The project is inspired by the eponymous novel by Dutch-Moroccan literary star Mano Bouzamour, about his struggles as a millennial navigating two cultures, overnight success and identity in Amsterdam.
It is written by Robert Alberdingk-Thijm, creator of A’Dam & Eva, which is being remade at NBC, Franky Ribbens, creator of Hollands Hoop, which is in development for a remake at Showtime, and Pieter Bart-Korthuis, creator of Penoza, which was remade for ABC as Red Widow.
The series is being produced by Alberdingk-Thijm, Ribbens, Bart-Korthuis’ Midpoint Productions, Bouzamour and Alon Aranya,...
- 12/3/2019
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Lille, France — At an awards ceremony on Monday night, French drama series “Purple” was announced as the winner of the Series Mania Co-Pro Pitching Sessions, scoring a cash prize of €50,000, the TV festival’s main industry award.
The ceremony was hosted by Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg and jury president Meghan Lyvers, senior vice president of co-production and development at CBS Studios Intl.
“Purple” comes from Paris-based Mother Productions, currently in development on Season 4 of their hit show ‘Call My Agent!’ who are teaming with Silex Films (“French Touch”) and writers Judith Havas, Noémie de Lapparent.
An eight-part, 40 minute-episode series, “Purple” weaves the stories of five women who open a women-only club, Purple, in late ‘90s Paris. A high-concept women’s drama, the series offers the international appeal of love, if often troubled, in the City of Lights.
The fictional series is inspired by the true story of Pulp,...
The ceremony was hosted by Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg and jury president Meghan Lyvers, senior vice president of co-production and development at CBS Studios Intl.
“Purple” comes from Paris-based Mother Productions, currently in development on Season 4 of their hit show ‘Call My Agent!’ who are teaming with Silex Films (“French Touch”) and writers Judith Havas, Noémie de Lapparent.
An eight-part, 40 minute-episode series, “Purple” weaves the stories of five women who open a women-only club, Purple, in late ‘90s Paris. A high-concept women’s drama, the series offers the international appeal of love, if often troubled, in the City of Lights.
The fictional series is inspired by the true story of Pulp,...
- 3/26/2019
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Series inspired by the true story behind the creation of a real-life iconic 1990s lesbian nightclub in Paris.
French drama project Purple, inspired by the true story behind the creation of a real-life iconic 1990s lesbian nightclub in Paris, has clinched the top €50,000 prize in the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions event of TV festival and industry event Series Mania, running March 22-30 in the northern French city of Lille.
A total of 16 projects were pitched at the project development and financing event, which continues today with one-on-one meetings and is a key pole of Series Mania’s three-day Forum industry programme.
French drama project Purple, inspired by the true story behind the creation of a real-life iconic 1990s lesbian nightclub in Paris, has clinched the top €50,000 prize in the Co-Pro Pitching Sessions event of TV festival and industry event Series Mania, running March 22-30 in the northern French city of Lille.
A total of 16 projects were pitched at the project development and financing event, which continues today with one-on-one meetings and is a key pole of Series Mania’s three-day Forum industry programme.
- 3/26/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
A five-member jury will award a grand prize of €50,000 to help develop the winning show.
French TV festival and professional meeting Series Mania, running March 22-30 in the northern French city of Lille, has announced the 16 projects due to be pitched in co-production sessions taking place during its industry-focused Series Mania Forum (Mar 25-27).
The selection includes a number of projects from production houses, working both in film and TV.
Rome-based Indigo Film, best-known for its long-time collaboration with Paolo Sorrentino on films such as Academy Award-winning The Great Beauty and Loro, will present Gymnasts. The company’s past TV...
French TV festival and professional meeting Series Mania, running March 22-30 in the northern French city of Lille, has announced the 16 projects due to be pitched in co-production sessions taking place during its industry-focused Series Mania Forum (Mar 25-27).
The selection includes a number of projects from production houses, working both in film and TV.
Rome-based Indigo Film, best-known for its long-time collaboration with Paolo Sorrentino on films such as Academy Award-winning The Great Beauty and Loro, will present Gymnasts. The company’s past TV...
- 2/26/2019
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- ScreenDaily
New drama series projects from the U.K.’s Studio Lambert, Italy’s Indigo Film and Norway’s Maipo Film will be pitched at Series Mania’s Co-Pro Pitching Sessions to an industry audience and jury. The latter is presided over by Meghan Lyvers, Svp co-production & development, CBS Studios International.
Taking place on March 25, the Sessions are the biggest industry draw at the three-day Series Mania Forum, which runs March 25-27.
All3Media’s unscripted specialist Studio Lambert – whose first scripted show, “Three Girls,” won five Bafta Awards in 2018 – will unveil “Influence.” Italy’s Indigo Film, producer of Paolo Sorrentino’s foreign-language Oscar-winning “The Great Beauty,” introduces “Gymnasts.”
Maipo Film, whose “State of Happiness” proved one of the most admired of Nordic TV series last year, will talk up “The Fortress.”
Beyond the titles, the content and creators of the projects, chosen from almost 400 applications from 41 countries, have not been revealed.
Taking place on March 25, the Sessions are the biggest industry draw at the three-day Series Mania Forum, which runs March 25-27.
All3Media’s unscripted specialist Studio Lambert – whose first scripted show, “Three Girls,” won five Bafta Awards in 2018 – will unveil “Influence.” Italy’s Indigo Film, producer of Paolo Sorrentino’s foreign-language Oscar-winning “The Great Beauty,” introduces “Gymnasts.”
Maipo Film, whose “State of Happiness” proved one of the most admired of Nordic TV series last year, will talk up “The Fortress.”
Beyond the titles, the content and creators of the projects, chosen from almost 400 applications from 41 countries, have not been revealed.
- 2/25/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
CBS Studios International will team with some of Israel’s top TV drama talent on Israeli crime series “District Y.”
“Fauda” and “False Flag” writer Leora Kamenetzky will pen the show. Pubcaster Kan will air the series in Israel, and Paper Plane and L. Benasuly Productions will produce. The latter made “Fauda” and “Hatufim,” the Israeli series that was the inspiration for “Homeland.”
The new series will run to 10 episodes. It centers on a special police unit in Jaffa, by Tel Aviv, a neighborhood where Jews and Arabs live together. When a 17-year-old Jewish girl is murdered, the local police are under pressure to solve the crime. They form a task force and, as part of that, an Arab-Jewish cop and a Christian Israeli-Russian cop are assigned to investigate.
The drama follows the police, the local crime families, and the Arab and Jewish residents of Jaffa. They are forced to...
“Fauda” and “False Flag” writer Leora Kamenetzky will pen the show. Pubcaster Kan will air the series in Israel, and Paper Plane and L. Benasuly Productions will produce. The latter made “Fauda” and “Hatufim,” the Israeli series that was the inspiration for “Homeland.”
The new series will run to 10 episodes. It centers on a special police unit in Jaffa, by Tel Aviv, a neighborhood where Jews and Arabs live together. When a 17-year-old Jewish girl is murdered, the local police are under pressure to solve the crime. They form a task force and, as part of that, an Arab-Jewish cop and a Christian Israeli-Russian cop are assigned to investigate.
The drama follows the police, the local crime families, and the Arab and Jewish residents of Jaffa. They are forced to...
- 10/25/2018
- by Stewart Clarke
- Variety Film + TV
20 feature films, 17 documentaries and 20 TV dramas set for pitching forum.
A slate of 20 feature films, 17 documentaries and 20 TV dramas have been selected for the pitching session at the fourth edition of the Mia Market in Rome (October 17-21).
Feature Film
This year’s feature film projects, which come from 16 different countries, were selected by Jason Ishikawa (international sales at Cinetic Media), Anne Lai (cirector of creative producing and artist support for the feature film program at the Sundance Institute) and Sophie Mas (producer at Rt Features). Half the projects are directed by women.
Among these are productions that passed through the Sundance Screenwriting lab,...
A slate of 20 feature films, 17 documentaries and 20 TV dramas have been selected for the pitching session at the fourth edition of the Mia Market in Rome (October 17-21).
Feature Film
This year’s feature film projects, which come from 16 different countries, were selected by Jason Ishikawa (international sales at Cinetic Media), Anne Lai (cirector of creative producing and artist support for the feature film program at the Sundance Institute) and Sophie Mas (producer at Rt Features). Half the projects are directed by women.
Among these are productions that passed through the Sundance Screenwriting lab,...
- 9/17/2018
- by Gabriele Niola
- ScreenDaily
CBS Studios International has agreed a first-look, multi-year deal with Alon Aranya’s Paper Plane Productions, CBS announced Wednesday. The agreement will see writer-producer Aranya develop and produce premium international programming through his new production company for the global market, across a variety of genres.
Aranya said he shared a “clear vision” with CBS on how to supply premium original foreign programming to the growing demands of the international marketplace. “Now that the international marketplace is finally ripe for premium quality international drama, it’s possible to develop and produce shows with talented creators and producers overseas, helping them put out their best work yet for local and global marketplace,” said Aranya.
The content creator is already working with CBS Television Studios on a number of projects, including “Your Honor,” an adaptation of the Israeli crime drama “Kvodo” (pictured), which is written and executive produced by Peter Moffat and executive...
Aranya said he shared a “clear vision” with CBS on how to supply premium original foreign programming to the growing demands of the international marketplace. “Now that the international marketplace is finally ripe for premium quality international drama, it’s possible to develop and produce shows with talented creators and producers overseas, helping them put out their best work yet for local and global marketplace,” said Aranya.
The content creator is already working with CBS Television Studios on a number of projects, including “Your Honor,” an adaptation of the Israeli crime drama “Kvodo” (pictured), which is written and executive produced by Peter Moffat and executive...
- 5/9/2018
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
CBS Studios International has closed a first-look deal with Alon Aranya’s Paper Plane Productions, the man responsible for remaking global formats including Hostages and Red Widow in the U.S.
The producer will develop and produce a raft of premium international programming with the global arm of the Hollywood studio.
He is currently working with CBS Television Studios on a number of projects including serving as an exec producer on Your Honor, based on the Israeli format Kvodo, which is set up at Showtime with the team behind The Good Wife and British writer Peter Moffat.
Previously he worked on the U.S. remake of Hostages, which was based on Israeli format Benei Aruba, for CBS and Red Widow, based on Dutch format Penoza, for ABC.
The deal comes a year after it hired Meghan Lyvers as Senior Vice President, Co-Productions and Development at CBS Studios International, based in Amsterdam,...
The producer will develop and produce a raft of premium international programming with the global arm of the Hollywood studio.
He is currently working with CBS Television Studios on a number of projects including serving as an exec producer on Your Honor, based on the Israeli format Kvodo, which is set up at Showtime with the team behind The Good Wife and British writer Peter Moffat.
Previously he worked on the U.S. remake of Hostages, which was based on Israeli format Benei Aruba, for CBS and Red Widow, based on Dutch format Penoza, for ABC.
The deal comes a year after it hired Meghan Lyvers as Senior Vice President, Co-Productions and Development at CBS Studios International, based in Amsterdam,...
- 5/9/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
CBS Television Studios is beefing up its drama development resources, naming Meghan Lyvers as senior vice president, drama development and Brianna Bennett as vice president, drama development, CBS Television Studios’ executive vice president, drama development, broadcast and cable Julie McNamara said Thursday. Lyvers (above left) comes to CBS Television Studios from Management 360's Television 360 division. While there she oversaw a production slate that included “Avenue of Spies,” “Heartland Trucking” and “The Terror,” among others. While there she also developed with 360 clients including Michael Chiklis, Christina Applegate and Brad Garrett. Also read: ‘Justified’ Ep Taylor Elmore Signs Overall Deal With.
- 7/31/2014
- by Tim Kenneally
- The Wrap
Brad Garrett, who starred in ABC/20th TV’s midseason comedy series How To Live With Your Parents, is back in business with ABC and 20th TV with a starring half-hour vehicle. The network has handed a pilot script commitment with significant penalty to When the Balls Drop, a single-camera comedy staring and co-written and executive produced by the Emmy-winning Everybody Loves Raymond alum. Inspired by Garrett’s forthcoming autobiographical book of the same name, When The Balls Drop is an honest look at life’s second half through the eyes of a divorced family man as he juggles home life, work, and the hilarious realities of middle-age. Garrett is co-writing with Chuck Tatham. The two are executive producing with Television 360′s Eryn Brown and Meghan Lyvers. Additionally, 20th TV has signed Garrett in a talent deal, allowing the studio to cast him in an existing pilot project should Balls not go to pilot.
- 10/4/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Exclusive: Showtime has put in development Heartland Trucking, a drama project from Walt Whitman Award-winning poet/TV writer Tony Tost (A&E’s Longmire), Television 360 (Game Of Thrones) and Fox 21. Written by Tost, Heartland Trucking is described as a scripted examination of the world of truckers in middle America and a family run business that serves those truckers as well as its own criminal agenda. Tost, repped by Rwsg Agency and Management 360, executive produces with Guymon Casady, Meghan Lyvers of TV 360, the television production arm of Management 360.
- 6/7/2013
- by NELLIE ANDREEVA
- Deadline TV
Stamos a Victor in New NBC Series. NBC's drama pilot I Am Victor has John Stamos in talks for the project based on Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo's upcoming novel. According to sources, Universal TV is producing the show which follows Victor Port, a high-powered divorce lawyer who holds a unique perspective on relationships. Mark Goffman writes and also executive-produces I Am Victor with Daniel Rappaport, Meghan Lyvers, Nicolas Salmonsson, Katie Jacobs and Nesbo. Stamos is vastly experienced in TV, with credits from the classic Full House series, Thieves, ER, Glee and the The New Normal. Film-wise, he's in newcomer Mike Young's My Man is a Loser with Sean Young, Michael Rapaport, Bryan Callen and Tika Sumpter...
- 2/23/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
Stamos a Victor in New NBC Series. NBC's drama pilot I Am Victor has John Stamos in talks for the project based on Norwegian writer Jo Nesbo's upcoming novel. According to sources, Universal TV is producing the show which follows Victor Port, a high-powered divorce lawyer who holds a unique perspective on relationships. Mark Goffman writes and also executive-produces I Am Victor with Daniel Rappaport, Meghan Lyvers, Nicolas Salmonsson, Katie Jacobs and Nesbo. Stamos is vastly experienced in TV, with credits from the classic Full House series, Thieves, ER, Glee and the The New Normal. Film-wise, he's in newcomer Mike Young's My Man is a Loser with Sean Young, Michael Rapaport, Bryan Callen and Tika Sumpter...
- 2/23/2013
- Upcoming-Movies.com
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.