The Box: Netflix Plans To Increase Spending In K-Content; Edward James Olmos Developing Remake Of ‘Mortal Glitch’
Tebogo Ramokgadi - Instagram
Africa: kykNET’s Silwerskermfees is holding its in-person pitch event in Cape Town this week. At the festival, now in its 11th year, producers will be able to new pitch ideas for new TV series.
South African TV star and producer Tebogo Ramokgadi is accusing e.tv of stealing his pilot and proposal for the network’s new drama series, Smoke & Mirrors. Ramokgadi claims that the broadcaster, with their new series, has stolen his idea for a 13 episode show. e.tv denies the accusation, claiming Ramokgabi’s idea, although sharing the same title, was rejected and that any perceived similarities are coincidental.
Jun Jong-seo - Corbis
Asia: Rana Naidu, Netflix’s Indian adaptation of Showtime’s Ray Donovan, has been renewed for a second season. The first season of the hit crime drama was launched on March 10 and quickly climbed to the top spot on Netflix’s list of most watched shows in India and continues to global favorite for the streamer’s non-English-language shows.
Speaking of Netflix, the streaming giant is planning to spend up to $2.5 billion on producing and developing K-content in the form of dramas features and reality programs within the next four years. Netflix’s 2021 K-drama, Squid Game, became the streamer’s biggest hit of 2021.
Another major streaming player, Paramount+, is also looking to expand its Korean-based content with a new slate of original K-content for the service. Kicking off the new slate will be two original dramas, A Bloody Lucky Day, and Queen Woo. The titles will be available to Paramount+ subscribers across Latin America, the U.S., Canada, Australia, the U.K., and other European countries. The two new titles come in the wake of Paramount’s partnership with CJ ENM.
K-content also took the center stage at Canneseries with titles such as Bargain and Island garnering positive reception at the competition. The latter series is based on a 1997 comic book and is co-created by Bae Jong and Jang Jeong-do.
The partnership between Applause Entertainment and Indian streaming company, Sony LIV, has been extended with the renewal of shows such as Undekhi and Avrodh as well as the green lighting of two new series. The first, 36 Days, is a thriller starring Neha Sharma and Purab Kohli and will be produced alongside BBC Studios India. The other new project, titled Kafas, is a social drama being directed by Sahil Sangha.
A group of experienced creators and storytellers in India headlined a panel at Indiantelevision.com’s annual event, The Content Hub, in Mumbai last week. The focus of the panel, called Content Creation: No More Formulas, was the discussion of the future of content in terms of what audiences will be watching as well as how to break worn out formulas and trends.
Europe: This week, Studiocanal announced a number of sales and acquisitions of the rights to two Belgium thrillers, The Crash and 1985. Multiple international streaming platforms across Australia, Europe, and the Middle East have acquired the rights to the two projects.
Part 3 of Netflix’s hit Omar Sy-led French heist series, Lupin, has eyed a premiere date of October 5. The series, an adaptation of Maurice LeBlanc’s novel series, Arsene Lupin, was co-created by George Kay and François Uzan and also stars Ludivine Sagnier, Antoine Gouy, and Soufiane Guerrab.
Disney+’s first German original series, Sam - A Saxon, released this past week on the platform worldwide. The story follows Samuel Meffire, the first Black policeman in communist East Germany who joined the force in between the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany. The series is described as a departure from the “feel good” stories that are typically synonymous with the platform and is inspired the real life story of the protagonist of the same name.
Edward James Olmos - PIERRE-PHILIPPE MARCOU
Latin America: Edward James Olmos and MoJo Global Arts are teaming up with the Ecuadorian production company, 2bLatam, to develop a TV remake of the Latin American YouTube hit, Mortal Glitch. The series will mark 2bLatam’s first English-language project in its attempt to expand its global reach.
Netflix has entered production on an all-new heist thriller series called Bandidos. The story follows a group of bandits as they attempt to claim treasure from an underwater Spanish galleon. Set for a 2024 release, the series stars Alfonso Dosal and Ester Exposito and is helmed by Rambo: Last Blood director Adrian Grunberg.
Middle East: Cedars Art Productions, the Beirut production company, has developed eight brand new series all of which have garnered favorable TV ratings during the month of Ramadan, the peak season for consuming television in the Arab world. Among these titles is the drama series, Soul Rising, which has been submitted for Emmy consideration by the production company’s president.
Netflix’s upcoming docudrama, Queen Cleopatra, has attracted backlash from the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) in Egypt over the show’s portrayal of Cleopatra as a Black Woman with the casting of actress Adele James. The organization put out a press release in response to the series, claiming that the Egyptian queen had “light skin and Hellenistic features”. The series is narrated by Jada Pinkett Smith and premieres on Netflix on May 10.