In today’s Global Bulletin, Warner Bros. announces several local versions of Nippon TV’s “Mute It!”, “Ugly Betty” gets a Ukrainian makeover, Twickenham Film Studios plans a facelift of its own, Australia’s Stan hires Amanda Duthie and beIN Sports gets Ligue 2 soccer in France.
FORMAT
Warner Bros. International Television Production has struck a deal with Japan’s Nippon TV to produce multiple local versions of Nippon TV’s studio-based comedy show “Mute it!”. The show involves 12 players, including one celebrity, attempting to pass through themed rooms and crazy obstacles without making a sound above 50 decibels.
WBITVP has acquired the rights to produce local versions in all territories where it has a production company, including the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany and the Nordics. Sales in the rest of the world, including Asia and LatAm, continue to be handled by Nippon TV. Warner’s first local version is being produced by its BlazHoffski subsidiary in The Netherlands, where a six-episode first season titled “Stilte AUB!” will play on SBS6 Netherlands from March 12.
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21 years after Fernando Gaitán’s “Betty la fea,” (“Ugly Betty”) premiered on Colombia’s RCN, the series is getting yet another remake, this time at Ukraine’s 1 +1.
With 29 adaptations globally, the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes the franchise as the most successful soap opera of all time. The Colombian original has been broadcast in more than 100 territories and been dubbed into more than 25 languages.
“Thanks to the wonderfully written characters and the brilliant drama, we saw a great opportunity to talk about the modern world, which is changing so quickly. This is exactly why we love the story of ‘Betty la fea,’” said Olena Yeremieieva, film and TV producer at 1 + 1. “It is an exciting creative challenge for the entire team to find our modern Betty.”
STUDIO
Twickenham Film Studios (TFS) has announced a £15 million ($20.65 million) development investment to update its London studios to a state-of-the-art film and TV campus.
London’s oldest film studio, TFS will be remodeled to include a cutting-edge TV studio with space for audiences, upgraded sound production studios, a secondary sound mixing suite and a new entrance building with public meeting spaces, adaptable workspaces, a boutique cinema, café and rooftop bar.
The building’s exterior will be extensively renovated using sustainable construction practices with other new structures built to meet a demand for more space. A planning application has been submitted to the local city council in Richmond and construction is planned to kick off later this year, completed by Oct. 2022.
HIRING
Seasoned entertainment executive Amanda Duthie has officially been confirmed as head of scripted entertainment at Australian streaming service Stan. Since late 2019, she has been acting head of scripted at state-backed SBS. There she oversaw a large drama slate including Goalpost Pictures’ “New Gold Mountain” and Aquarius Films’ “The Unusual Suspects.”
The Nine-owned Stan has committed to expanding its slate of originals, reaching 30 per year within five years. That momentum comes at a time when streamers in Australia look increasingly likely to be subject to local content quotas. Duthie was previously creative director and CEO of the Adelaide Film Festival from 2012 to 2018, leading both the festival and its investment fund, and head of production and development at the South Australian Film Corporation.
SPORTS
As the future of domestic TV rights for France’s top soccer federation Ligue 1 remains cloudy, beIN Sports, a potential suitor for those broadcast rights, has solidified its relationship with second tier Ligue 2 after reaching an agreement with Canal Plus to exclusively broadcast all the competition’s games for the remainder of the 2020/21 season in France.
Ligue 2 will join beIN’s current sports lineup which includes other high-end soccer such as the 2020 European Championships scheduled for this summer, the UEFA Champions League starting next season, Spain’s LaLiga, Italy’s Serie A, Germany’s Bundesliga, the Turkish Super Lig, the FA Cup. BeIN also broadcasts several major tennis tournaments, the NBA, NFL and many other global sporting leagues and events.
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