Monday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Monday, 3.42pm: Electric Entertainment ups Ben Kim

US-based Electric Entertainment has promoted Ben Kim to become head of development and acquisitions.

In his new role, Kim will continue to lead the development of all scripted TV and feature films, while overseeing the company’s global acquisitions and co-productions. 

He will also oversee all scripted development for Electric’s streamer and FAST channel, ElectricNOW, which recently announced it would be commissioning original content. The first two projects were announced at this year’s MIPCOM: The Poly Couple; and, Sloane and the Cosmic Schlep.

Monday, 3.38pm: UK’s CBBC buys Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir

UK kids broadcaster CBBC has picked up the first six seasons of animated series Miraculous - Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, following a deal with Mediawan Kids and Family.

Five Miraculous World TV event specials have also been acquired, while the original show’s fifth season will debut on CBBC this week. The animation, which was created by Thomas Astruc, Nathanaël Bronn and Jeremy Zag, follows the lives of two Parisian teenagers who transform into the superheroes Ladybug and Cat Noir to protect their city from mysterious villains.

Mediawan and French producer ZAG formed joint venture Miraculous Corp earlier this year to spin off content from Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir. The show is also available on Disney+ in the UK, where it holds the first window streaming rights, as well as Pop TV and Netflix. Read more

Monday, 1.31pm: PBS, CBC Gem snag The Gold S1 & S2 

PBS Masterpiece has picked up rights to the first and yet-to-launch second season of BBC drama The Gold following a deal with All3Media International.

The broadcaster has taken rights for the US and English-speaking Canada, while a digital pact for both seasons has also been struck with CBC Gem in Canada.

The drama, which is from Tannadice Pictures and All3’s Objective Fiction, was produced for the BBC and inspired by the true story of the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery in the UK. It has also been acquired by MagentaTV/Telekom in Germany, Stan in Australia, Rialto Channel in New Zealand and ERR in Estonia. BBC Studios struck a pan territory deal covering Asia and India for its drama offering BBC First and BBC Player.

Monday, 1.03pm:

It might be a cool market for scripted right now but Sweden’s B-Reel Films has had a prolific 2024, with shows either launched or about to launch on Netflix, SVT and TV4.  

Ulf Synnerholm, managing partner at the Stockholm- and LA-based production firm, tells Broadcast International how they did it. Read more

Monday, 11.05am: BBC Studios & Armando Iannucci unveil prodco

The Thick Of It creator Armando Iannucci has launched a scripted indie called Touchscreen and entered a development partnership with BBC Studios.

The agreement will see BBCS and Touchscreen work together to develop and co-produce scripted programming for the UK and international markets, distributed by BBCS. Read more

Monday, 10.38am: StudioCanal’s Strong Film & TV lands ITV drama 

James Strong’s nascent indie Strong Film and Television has landed a period drama with the UK’s ITV, reimagining the life of a young Elizabeth I and her place in the court of King Henry VIII.

Six-part Majesty is based on conspiracy theories which surrounded the Virgin Queen as a youth, rather than a historical account of her early years. Strong will direct series, which is created by Grey’s Anatomy showrunners Joan Rater, Tony Phelan and William Harper.

The trio recently collaborated on eight-episode Disney+/Nat Geo drama series A Small Light. Rater and Phelan also co-created and serve as exec producers on CBS’ drama Fire Country and its spin-off drama Sheriff Country.

Monday, 10.25am: Mainstreet names MD as Laura Mackie steps down

Unforgotten indie Mainstreet Pictures is ushering in a “new era” with co-founder Laura Mackie stepping down and experienced producer Guy de Glanville joining the ITV Studios label as managing director.

Mackie started Mainstreet Pictures alongside chief executive Sally Haynes in 2014, producing six series of acclaimed drama Unforgotten. The drama is one of ITV’s most consistently successful series and was the most watched drama on ITV1 and ITVX in 2023. Read more

Monday, 10.21am: New Pictures lands Petroleum Papers 

All3Media-owned New Pictures has snagged rights to Geoff Dembicki’s The Petroleum Papers: Inside the Far-Right Conspiracy to Cover Up Climate Change published by Greystone Books. David MacPherson (The Rig) will adapt the book as a multi-episode drama for TV, with Imogen O’Sullivan executive producing.

The book draws on hundreds of confidential oil industry documents spanning decades, revealing how the fossil fuel industry joined forces with right wing politicians to halt progress on preventing the climate crisis. Climate Spring are acting as climate consultants to New Pictures on the adaptation, with All3Media International advising as international distribution partner.

Monday, 10.01am: Tehran producer Paper picks up Israeli format 

Tel Aviv-based Yes Studios and London and LA outfit Paper Entertainment have struck a deal to develop an English-language adaptation of Israeli dramedy Johnny and the Knights of the Galilee.

Honey Boys, which is being targeted at the UK and US, tells the story of a struggling actor based in London who returns to his hometown in Cornwall in the wake of his father’s passing. Confronted with the financial struggles of the family farm, now run by his sister, he and three childhood friends decide to start an escorting business to make ends meet. 

The original show was created and written by Dani Rosenberg and Tom Shoval, and produced by Yes TV and July August Productions for Israel’s Yes TV. A French-language adaptation, Escort Boys, has already been produced by Oberkampf Productions and Story Nation Productions for Prime Video. It is also being rolled out on TF1 in France today, with a second season in the works.

Yes Studios has international distribution rights for the original Israeli-language series and its format.  

Monday, 8.49am: Canal+ boards StudioCanal, Beach House drama

France’s Canal+ Group is working with sibling production arm StudioCanal, Fremantle-owned Beach House Pictures and Momo Film on a new English- and Chinese language crime drama. 

Red Butterfly is an eight-part series that follows the rise of an all-female gang run by two sisters set in 1950’s Singapore, which at that time was seen as a glamorous but lawless ‘Wild West’ of Asia. The show will be filmed on location in Singapore and Malaysia, with co-creator Constance Cheng (The Great) attached to write and serve as showrunner.

Fellow co-creator Kris Ong (Ajoomma) will also write on the project, with StudioCanal handling worldwide sales. The fight choreography will be supported by Martial Club (Everything Everywhere All At Once), founded by the Le Brothers and Daniel Mah. 

Monday, 9.01am: Former Pulse Films chief unveils media growth firm

Former Pulse Films chief executive Thomas Benski has launched an international media group called Lumina, based in London, New York, Paris and Los Angeles. Read more

Monday, 8.13am: Love Nature land Hawes for Airborne

Wildlife and nature brand Love Nature and Sky Nature have tapped Bodyguard actor Keeley Hawes to narrate upcoming four-parter Airborne.

The show is produced by Humble Bee Films and provides a revelatory adventure into the diverse world of creatures that fly, glide and leap through the air. It features animals ranging from condors and lemurs to gliding squirrels and orchid bees, and will air on Sky Nature in the UK, Ireland and Italy and globally on Love Nature.

Monday, 8.07am: Thailand preps The Voice Pride

The Voice Thailand producer Exit365 is preparing to launch a new version of The Voice, which will become the first LGBTQ+ edition of the ITV Studios-owned talent competition format.

The Voice Pride will celebrate the diversity and artistry of the LGBTQ+ community, premiering during Pride Month in June 2025. Details on where the show will air will be announced shortly, with the news coming in the same year as Thailand’s new same-sex marriage law takes effect.

“The Voice Pride is not just a competition but a celebration of love, acceptance, and incredible talent,” said Pattanee Jareeyatana, CEO & MD Exit365, “As Thailand takes historic steps toward equality, we’re proud to amplify the voices of the LGBTQ+ community and give them the spotlight they deserve.”

The Voice is entering its 10th season in Thailand, where it airs on Channel One HD.