All the latest news from the global content industry on Thursday, 24 April

 

WBD’s Nove orders Italian Starstruck

Banijay Italia is to produce an Italian version of Starstruck for Warner Bros. Discovery’s channel Nove.

The deal marks the entertainment format’s seventh international remake and the first time it has been produced for Italian audiences. 

Starstruck follows trios of ordinary people who transform into some of the world’s most significant music icons, who compete against each other to win a cash prize.

The format was originally created by Banijay UK’s Remarkable Entertainment and launched in the UK on ITV and ITVX. It has since been remade in Chile, Bulgaria, Belgium, Denmark, and most recently, Portugal.

 

Snoop Dog strikes NBCU creative pact

NBCUniversal Entertainment & Studios has struck a creative pact with Snoop Dog and his Death Row Pictures, which is to be based on the Universal Studios lot.

The deal will see the Hip Hop star working with NBCU across TV, film, sports and streaming projects.

Snoop Dog has an ongoing relationship with NBCU, with the star being a judge on NBC’s The Voice and starring in a reality show for E!. A movie about his life is also in the works with Universal.

 

Netflix expands novel adaptations

Netflix is adapting Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence and Jhumpa Lahiri’s short novel collection, Unaccustomed Earth.

The Age of Innocence tells the story of forbidden love in 19th century New York and is from showrunner, writer and executive producer Emma Frost (The White Queen), while Unaccustomed Earth is based on Lahiri’s stories that explore love, desire and belonging in a tight-knit Indian American community.

It is from showrunner, writer and executive producer John Wells (The Pitt), with Madhuri Shekar (3 Body Problem) writing. Nisha Ganatra directs the first episode.

The commissions come alongside a fifth season of Sweet Magnolias, which is based on the book series by author Sherryl Woods. Sheryl J. Anderson returns as showrunner and executive producer.

 

Grierson Trust names board members

The heads of Banijay-owned Workerbee Group and nascent indie Dare Pictures are among six industry execs added to the Grierson Trust’s board.

Rick Murray, chief exec of Banijay-backed Workerbee and Derren Lawford, founder and chief exec of Broadcast Emerging Indie Award winner Dare, will join the board alongside director Toby Trackman and editor and edit consultant Zeb Achonu. All four will join as trustees from this month.

Oli Harbottle, chief content officer at film distributor Dogwoof, and Netflix production executive Jessica Ross will from December, when current trustees Rob Stapeldon and Guy Davies conclude their two terms.

 

AMC’s Shudder extends Boulet trio

AMC Networks-owned horror-themed streamer Shudder has made a multiple project pick-up deal with horror icons and drag superstars The Boulet Brothers.

Reality competition series, The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula, has been renewed for a seventh season, and the show’s spin-off format The Boulet Brothers Dragula: Titans, has been renewed for season two.

Shudder has also picked up holiday special, The Boulet Brothers’ Holiday of Horrors, featuring co-host David Dastmalchian. Production began this week on season two of Titans, which will be the first to premiere later this year on Shudder and AMC+.

 

BBC opens Casualty production to third parties

The BBC in the UK has put Casualty up for competitive tender, inviting indies to pitch to produce the long-running medical drama.

It Is the first time that Casualty has been put out for tender, and a full list of the eligibility criteria and requirements for the show will be openly shared with suppliers, details of which will be published in the coming weeks.

The corporation will retain the rights for the programme, which will continue to air on BBC1 and iPlayer and has also reiterated that the show will continue to be filmed in Cardiff and play an important role in the production of ecology in Wales.

 

 

The BBC has put Casualty up for competitive tender, inviting indies to pitch to produce the long-running medical drama.


It Is the first time that Casualty has been put out for tender, and a full list of the eligibility criteria and requirements for the show will be openly shared with suppliers, details of which will be published in the coming weeks.
The corporation will retain the rights for the programme, which will continue to air on BBC1 and iPlayer and has also reiterated that the show will continue to be filmed in Cardiff and play an important role in the production of ecology in Wales.