Big Talk snares big names for Ludwig US remake

Big Talk Studios has secured a high-profile pair of writers to a work up a US version of its smash comedy drama series Ludwig, Broadcast can reveal.

Mythic Quest co-creator and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia writer Megan Ganz and Jonathan E. Steinberg, who co-created Jericho and Percy Jackson and the Olympians, have both been attached to the project, which follows the story of an awkward puzzler turned accidental detective.

Ganz and Steinberg both have overall deals with 20^th Television in the US.

It is understood the US remake will be given a different title, as the original UK series of Ludwig is currently airing in the US via BritBox.

The six-part BBC series starring David Mitchell debuted last September to become the BBC’s biggest new scripted series launch since 2022, amassing over 9.5m viewers within 28 days of its first transmission. It is also become the biggest new comedy in over a decade.

The original series was penned by Mark Brotherhood, who has also penned episodes of Big Talk Studios’ Cold Feet and Red Planet’s Death in Paradise.

Big Talk chief executive Kenton Allen teased the US remake at the Broadcast Summit this week.

The series follows socially awkward puzzle setter John ‘Ludwig’ Taylor, whose life is upended when his identical (but more charismatic) police detective twin DCI James Taylor disappears. In a plot concocted by his sister-in-law, John reluctantly assumes the identity of his brother, discovering an aptitude for solving crime using his puzzling skills.

The series is produced in association with That Mitchell and Webb Company and has so far sold to over 85 international markets, via ITV Studios, including ZDF in Germany, Telefónica in Spain, Warner Bros. Discovery’s free-to-air channel Giallo in Italy, SVT Sweden, Seven Network in Australia and TZNZ in New Zealand.

Ludwig also swiftly landed a second series commission following the debut’s success.