k7 world drama report

K7 WORLD DRAMA REPORT
December 2014
www.k7media.co.uk
CONTENTS 1. K7 Scriptlist - December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
01
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
INTRODUCTION TO THE K7 SCRIPTLIST
The following fourteen titles are featured in this month’s K7 Scriptlist. The K7
Scriptlist is a video clip compilation of the latest scripted formats with remake
and acquisition potential.
The showreel is available as part of your monthly subscription to the K7
package of services, and is delivered separately.
ASCENSION (USA) 6x45’
In 1963, fearing the Cold War could lead to nuclear destruction, President
Kennedy launches a secret space mission carrying 600 US citizens into space
in search of a new home planet. However, 50 years into the mission the ship
suffers its first homicide and those in charge begin to question the purpose
of their voyage. This event series will be broadcast across three consecutive
nights, with two episodes shown per night.
First Series Tx. – 15 December 2014
Produced by Blumhouse Productions, Lionsgate Television, Sea to Sky
Studios, Universal Cable Productions
Distributed by NBCUniversal Television Distribution
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
BAGITO (Philippines) Ongoing x 30’
Youth skewing comedy drama about Drew, a 14-year-old schoolboy who
becomes a father and must learn to grow up quickly in order to raise his child.
The series explores how his mistake impacts his life, and his family.
First Series Tx. – 17 November 2014
Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment TV
Distributed by ABS-CBN International Sales
02
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
BRIAN PERN: A LIFE IN ROCK (UK) 3x30’
Comic actor Simon Day (The Fast Show) revives the character of Brian Pern
for a second limited series. Loosely modelled on Peter Gabriel, Pern is an
eccentric former prog rock star. In 2013, he hosted a mockumentary series
about the history of rock music. In this follow-up, we follow Pern himself as
the story of his band, Thotch, is turned into a West End musical. Nigel Havers,
Martin Freeman, Kathy Burke, Alan Yentob and Sir Tim Rice are among the
star-studded supporting cast.
First Series Tx. – 9 December 2014
Produced by BBC Comedy Productions
Distributed by BBC Worldwide
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
DREAM DAD (Philippines) Ongoing x 35’
Sebastian “Baste” Javier is happy in his life as a rural veterinarian, but when it
seems like his parents may split up, he takes the tough decision to take over
from his father at the head of his large dairy company. This leads to a split with
his own girlfriend, but Baste finds redemption in the form of Baby, a precocious
orphan girl who has been chosen as the face of the dairy’s bestselling product.
Baby believes Baste is the father she has waited her whole life to find, and vows
to find him a new love.
First Series Tx. – 9 December 2014
Produced by Dreamscape Entertainment TV
Distributed by ABS-CBN International Sales
03
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
EN LA BOCA DEL LOBO (IN THE MOUTH OF THE WOLF)
(Colombia) Ongoing x 44’
Adapted from the non-fiction bestseller At the Devil’s Table: The Untold Story
of the Insider Who Brought Down the Cali Cartel by William C. Rempel, this
crime-themed telenovela tells the story of Ricardo Salgado, a former soldier
who became the head of security for Colombia’s notorious Cali Cartel, before
turning them in to the authorities.
First Series Tx. – 10 November 2014
Produced by Sony Pictures International, Teleset
Distributed by Univision
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
GIRLFRIENDS’ GUIDE TO DIVORCE (USA) 13x45’
Lisa Edelstein stars as a forty-something self-help and relationship guru whose
life and career fall apart when she breaks up with her husband. Marti Noxon
(Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Mad Men) is both writer and showrunner. Based on
the popular book series by Vicky Iovine.
First Series Tx. – 2 December 2014
Produced by Universal Cable Productions
Distributed by NBCUniversal International Television Distribution
04
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
HALO: NIGHTFALL (USA) 5x30’
Produced by Ridley Scott, this five part digital sci-fi action series sees futuristic
special forces operative Agent Locke investigating possible alien skulduggery
on the remains of a vast space weapon known as a Halo ring. Based on
Microsoft’s bestselling video game series, the show’s storyline will act as a
prelude to the 2015 Xbox One release, Halo 5: Guardians, in which Agent
Locke will play a vital role.
First Series Tx. – 11 November 2014
Produced by Scott Free, Xbox Entertainment Studios
Distributed by Microsoft
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
THE KINGS FACE (Korea) 24x60’
Epic historical drama. In the Joseon era, Gwanghae is born the illegitimate son
of King Seonjo and a concubine. By using the talents of a fortune teller who can
read the future from a person’s face, over the course of 16 years Gwanghae
rises through the royal court to become his father’s rival for the throne.
First Series Tx. – 19 November 2014
Produced by KBS Media
Distributed by KBS Global
05
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
THE LIBRARIANS (USA) 10x60’
Fantasy action series starring Noah Wyle as the head of a secret group
dedicated to keeping dangerous ancient knowledge out of the wrong hands.
The series is a continuation of the movie franchise, which produced three films
between 2004 and 2008, also starring Wyle. Comic books and novels have also
been produced.
First Series Tx. – 7 December 2014
Produced by Electric Entertainment
Distributed by Universal Networks International
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
LOVE FREQUENCY 37.2 (Korea) 12x60’
Romantic anthology series. Armed with a degree in psychology, DJ Captain
broadcasts his illegal show from a secret location, taking calls from the lonely
and desperate. Each episode relays a different romantic story, while exploring
DJ Captain’s own mysterious love life.
First Series Tx. – 15 November 2014
Produced by MBC
Distributed by MBC
06
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
MARCO POLO (USA) 10x60’
Netflix unveils its most ambitious drama production with this lavish historical
adventure starring Lorenzo Richelmy as the young Marco Polo during his time
in the court of Kublai Khan. The project was originally developed for Starz,
before the network passed. The reported budget for the series is $90m, the
largest single investment Netflix has so far made in original content.
First Series Tx. – 12 December 2014
Produced by The Weinstein Company
Distributed by Netflix
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
MOZART IN THE JUNGLE (USA) 10x30’
Produced by Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman, and with a top flight
cast featuring Gael García Bernal, Malcolm McDowell and Saffron Burrows, this
is a warts and all look at the hedonistic lifestyles of young classical musicians
in New York, and the scandals and rivalries behind the scenes of a major
symphony orchestra.
First Series Tx. – 23 December 2014
Produced by Pictures in a Row
Distributed by Amazon Studios
07
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 LineUp
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
ÖGON BLÅ (BLUE EYES) (Sweden) 10x60’
Conspiracy thriller. The murder of a prominent right wing politician, just before
a general election, triggers reprisals from fascist group known as Veritas.
Meanwhile Elin Johansson (Louise Peterhoff) is the new chief of staff at
the Ministry of Justice, but when she digs into the mystery surrounding the
disappearance of her predecessor, she realises she may be a pawn in the same
extreme right wing plot. The series is created by Alex Haridi.
First Series Tx. – 30 November 2014
Produced by Strix Drama
Distributed by ZDF Enterprises
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
TASTE OF LOVE (Nigeria) 150x30’
Nigeria’s first domestically produced telenovela is a sweeping family saga,
tracing the intertwined threads of love and hate between the rival Musa-Phillips
and Pepple families, both of which are vying for control of the local sugar cane
market. Ibrahim Musa-Phillips blames Jonathan Pepple for the death of his wife,
but their lifelong vendetta is challenged when their children fall in love.
First Series Tx. – 29 November 2014
Produced by Micromedia Marketing Ltd
Distributed by Micromedia Marketing Ltd
08
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and
Emerging Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
CURRENT AND EMERGING TRENDS
The Evolution of the Telenovela
As a format, the telenovela already dominates the drama market across the
world, but it is taking on new shapes as the media landscape changes. Most
notable is Univision’s decision to launch Novelas Xpress, offering trimmed
down versions of its most popular telenovelas for binge watchers in a rush on
both Hulu and its own UVision VOD platform. Meanwhile, following months of
healthy sales in finished shows from South America to emerging Middle East
and African territories, we’re starting to see countries becoming producers of
domestic telenovelas rather than just importers. Nigeria’s Taste of Love, as
seen in our December Scriptlist, could well be the first of many such shows.
Given these shifts, it seems likely that the term “telenovela” may soon lose its
cultural specificity - and may even cease to be a useful genre description as
more shows take on telenovela traits. After all, most Netflix viewers experienced
Breaking Bad not as five separate seasons but as one 62 episode run. What is
that, if not a telenovela?
Cross Platform Comes Of Age
There’s always justified scepticism where talk of digital cross-platform drama is
concerned. Too many big ideas over the years have delivered small returns. It
seems that as 2014 draws to a close, broadcasters are starting to understand
how to deliver coherent scripted experiences online and off, and even across
multiple TV channels. The big test will be Channel 4’s imminent three-series
experiment. Made up of two scripted dramas - Cucumber on Channel 4 and
Banana on youth channel E4 - and a related online documentary series called
Tofu, the interconnected series about gay culture and human sexuality will
depend heavily on viewers dividing their attention three ways. With subject
matter that will skew heavily towards the young and open-minded, we’re keen to
see how it performs.
Comedy in Crisis
2014 has been a bad year for TV comedy, particularly for the US networks, with
only a handful of breakout hits and little on the horizon to suggest a reversal in
the genre’s fortunes. In a Fall season dominated by caution and PR spin, it’s
notable that the first shows to feel the axe of outright cancellation were ABC’s
Selfie and Manhattan Love Story, with NBC’s Bad Judge and A to Z following
close behind. In the UK, meanwhile, the Christmas schedule is full of sitcom
specials but many, such as Miranda and Mrs Brown’s Boys, are airing their
last ever episodes with few likely contenders to replace them in the audience’s
affections. Always one of the hardest genres to predict, it could well be that
2015 will see a sitcom revival - but we wouldn’t put money on it.
09
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
AUSTRALIA
3.1 NEWS: BBC picks up A Place to Call Home for UK
broadcast
The BBC will show the first two seasons of Seven’s popular period drama,
A Place to Call Home, it has been confirmed. The Endemol production was
cancelled by Seven earlier this year, until pay TV channel Foxtel stepped in to
pick up the format. Set in the years following World War 2, the series follows the
fortunes of Sarah Adams, who returns to Australia after twenty years away in
order to start a new life. The show will go out on BBC2, but no date or time slot
has been confirmed.
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
3.2 NEWS: Ten planning two TV biopics for 2015
Network Ten has two biographical TV movies in the pipeline for 2015. Mary:
The Making of a Princess will tell the story of Mary Donaldson, the humble
Tasmanian estate agent who married into royalty to become the Crown Princess
of Denmark. The Peter Brock Story will focus on the beloved Australian racing
driver, who died in a crash while taking part in a rally in 2006.
10
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
BRAZIL
4.1 ALTO ASTRAL
Ongoing x 50’
Status: On air (Rede Globo, debuted 3 November 2014)
Production: Globo
Distribution: Globo
Supernatural telenovela about Caique, a hospital doctor who has the ability to
see and talk to spirits. Caique struggles with his gift, but tries to use it to help his
patients and co-workers alike. Opposing him is Mark, his resentful half-brother,
who had the same psychic powers but has lost them. Mark teams up with a
“medical charlatan” called Samantha to try and undo Caique’s good work.
CANADA
5.1 NEWS: Sensitive Skin renewed for second season
Tricon Film and Television has confirmed that the Kim Cattrall dramedy
Sensitive Skin will return for a second 6x30’ season. The series, an adaptation
of the 2005 Baby Cow format, follows an affluent 60-year-old woman as she
copes with the trials that life and family throw at her. The second season will
begin shooting in Spring 2015.
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
11
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
CHINA
6.1 NEWS: Sony developing Chinese adaptation of Mad
About You
Sony Pictures Television, HuaCheng Pictures and Croton Media are to
collaborate on a Chinese language remake of hit 1990s US sitcom, Mad About
You. As in the western version, the series will focus on a young professional
couple trying to keep the spark in their relationship amid their hectic city
lifestyles. Casting is underway for the two leads, originally played by Paul Reiser
and Helen Hunt, with production due to begin in 2015.
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
6.2 49 DAYS SACRIFICE
42x45’
Status: On air (HunanTV, debuted 1 December)
Production: HunanTV
Distribution: Hunan Broadcasting System
Epic historical war drama about the brutal Japanese occupation of Nanking in
1937. Based on the same novel which inspired the 2011 Zhang Yimou movie
The Flowers of War, the series follows a group of women and schoolgirls who
take refuge from the slaughter in a Roman Catholic school.
12
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
COLUMBIA
7.1 EN LA BOCA DEL LOBO (IN THE MOUTH OF THE
WOLF)
Ongoing x 44’
Status: On air (UniMas, debuted 10 November 2014)
Production: Sony Pictures International, Teleset
Distribution: Univision
Adapted from the non-fiction bestseller At the Devil’s Table: The Untold Story
of the Insider Who Brought Down the Cali Cartel by William C. Rempel, this
crime-themed telenovela tells the story of Ricardo Salgado, a former soldier
who became the head of security for Colombia’s notorious Cali Cartel, before
turning them in to the authorities.
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
FRANCE
8.1 NEWS: Atlantique investing in overseas coproductions
Atlantique Productions is increasingly looking to collaborate with foreign
production companies. Patrick Nebout, the company’s newly installed executive
producer for international drama, made the announcement in an interview
for the Nordisk Film website. Among the projects already in development are
“high-concept thriller” Jour Polaire (Midnight Sun) from Swedish creators Måns
Mårlind and Björn Stein, and Crater Lake, a “life affirming” drama about assisted
suicide from Ron Leshem (The Gordin Cell). Keshet will co-produce.
13
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8.2 CEUX DE 14 (THOSE 14)
6x52’
Status: Completed (France 3, debuted 28 October 2014)
Production: Native
Distribution: France Télévisions
Six part World War I drama, based on the autobiographical short stories written
by veteran soldier Maurice Genevoix and first published in 1949. Théo Frilet
(Candice Renoir) heads the cast as Genevoix.
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
GERMANY
9.1 NEWS: Das Erste shooting new legal and crime
dramas
German pubcaster ARD Das Erste has begun production on two major new
drama series. Brandmal (Stigma) is a serial killer procedural based on a
novel by Scottish author Craig Russell, whose Hamburg-set Jan Fabel thrillers
have been adapted by ARD twice before. In this story, a brutal killer is picking
off members of German high society, who are connected by their shared
membership of a radical student group in the 1980s. Also shooting now in
Switzerland and the Czech Republic is Borchert’s Fall, a drama about a
disgraced lawyer who returns to his Zurich home following a bribery scandal
only to find new enemies and obstacles await him. Brandmal comes via Tivoli
Film Productions and ARD Degeto, while Graf Film is the production company
behind Borchert’s Fall.
14
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
HONG KONG
10.1 OVERACHIEVERS
30x45’
Status: Completed (TVB Jade, debuted 3 November 2014)
Production: TVB
Distribution: TVB International
High stakes family-based drama, set in the cutting edge mobile software
industry, about an ambitious but honest young man locked in a corporate battle
with his wealthy father and his scheming stepmother.
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
10.2 OFFICER GEOMANCER
20x45’
Status: Completed (TVB Jade, debuted 16 December 2014)
Production: TVB
Distribution: TVB International
Police procedural with a twist. Kwok Hei Sin is a Hong Kong beat cop who uses
the ancient art of geomancy – a form of earth divination popular in Asian culture
– to point him towards clues. He is also helped by his pragmatic boss Che Gwai
Fei and informant Leung Sing Kau. The over-arching plot involves a missing
persons case which may have connections to Kwok Hei Sin’s own suppressed
past.
15
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
INDIA
11.1 NEWS: Star Plus will open Hotel in February
The next drama from Star Plus will be the self-explanatory Hotel, set in a major
hotel. The limited series comes from producer Sudhir Sharma and his Sunshine
Productions company, and will reportedly replace Airlines when that series
comes to an end in February 2015.
11.2 YAM HAIN HUM
TBC x 30’
Status: On air (SAB TV, debuts 15 December 2014)
Production: Swastik Productions
Distribution: SAB TV
New fantasy comedy, based on the 1995 movie Taqdeerwala. The plot
follows Yamraj, the God of Death, and Chitragupta, the deity responsible for
recording the actions of all humans so they can be judged in the afterlife. When
Chitragupta’s book is accidentally discovered by an ordinary man who uses it to
his own advantage, the two gods must venture to Earth to track him down.
JAPAN
12.1 AKKA (BAD MONEY)
5x60’
Status: Completed (WOWOW, debuted 23 November 2014)
Production: WOWOW
Distribution: WOWOW
A homeless man discovers a bag containing one million yen. The money is
an advanced forgery, however, and part of a plan to deliberately destabilise
the Japanese economy by flooding the market with counterfeit notes. As the
undetectable fake money flows through the system, Detective Erika Miyazono
tries to discover what role a mysterious investor known as Nonomiya has in the
affair.
16
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
KOREA
13.1 NEWS: KBS prepping vampire hospital drama, Blood
KBS will launch a new medical drama with a twist in February 2015. Blood
follows Park Ji Sang, a surgeon at a top cancer hospital who is also a vampire.
He must balance his own need for blood with his desire to save as many lives
as possible. The show will debut in the network’s Monday and Tuesday evening
drama slot.
13.2 BE ARROGANT
10x20’
Status: Completed (SBS Plus, debuted 27 October 2014)
Production: SBS Plus
Distribution: SBS International
Aspirational youth drama about two young women who decide to quit their retail
jobs at the mall and go into business for themselves, selling the latest fashions
online. Yura, of Korean pop group Girl’s Day, is one of the stars. The series is
pitched as a “mini drama” with episodes that run between 15 and 20 minutes in
length.
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
17
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
13.3 PINOCCHIO
20x60’
Status: On air (SBS, debuted 12 November 2014)
Production: SidusHQ
Distribution: SBS International
Romantic comedy drama about a group of inexperienced young reporters
searching for the truth in the stories they cover. Lead character In-Ha has a
major hurdle to overcome, however: she has Pinocchio Syndrome, which makes
her hiccup uncontrollably whenever she tells a lie.
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
13.4 PUNCH
20x60’
Status: On air (SBS, debuted 15 December 2014)
Production: HB Entertainment
Distribution: SBS International
Anti-corruption prosecutor Park Jung Hwan learns that he has an aggressive
brain tumour, leaving him only six months to live. The news makes him
reappraise his approach to life, and in particular the compromises he has made
in order to work within the Korean legal system. With nothing to lose, he sets
about bringing down his corrupt superiors, while trying to make amends with his
estranged wife and daughter.
18
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
13.5 SEONAM GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL INVESTIGATORS
16x60’
Status: On air (JTBC, debuted 16 December 2014)
Production: JTBC
Distribution: JTBC
Light-hearted mystery drama, following five aspiring schoolgirl detectives who
work on behalf of their fellow students, solving cases of bullying, theft and
more. The series is somewhat unusual for a Korean prime time drama, given its
mostly young female cast.
MEXICO
14.1 LA SOMBRA DEL PASADO (SHADOWS OF THE
PAST)
Ongoing x 42’
Status: On air (Canal de las Estrellas, debuted 10 November 2014)
Production: Televisa
Distribution: Televisa
Televisa’s latest telenovela launch centres on two rival families whose destinies
overlap in a “whirlwind of passion, rage and vengeance”.
19. UK
20. USA
19
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
14.2 THE KING’S FACE
24x60’
Status: On air (KBS2, debuted 19 November 2014)
Production: KBS Media
Distribution: KBS Global
Epic historical drama. In the Joseon era, Gwanghae is born the illegitimate son
of King Seonjo and a concubine. By using the talents of a fortune teller who can
read the future from a person’s face, over the course of 16 years Gwanghae
rises through the royal court to become his father’s rival for the throne.
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
NIGERIA
15.1 TASTE OF LOVE
150x30’
Status: On air (AIT/Silverbird Network, debuted 29 November 2014)
Production: Micromedia Marketing Ltd
Distribution: Micromedia Marketing Ltd
Nigeria’s first domestically produced telenovela is a sweeping family saga,
tracing the intertwined threads of love and hate between the rival Musa-Phillips
and Pepple families, both of which are vying for control of the local sugar cane
market. Ibrahim Musa-Phillips blames Jonathan Pepple for the death of his wife,
but their lifelong vendetta is challenged when their children fall in love.
20
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
PHILIPPINES
16.1 BAGITO
Ongoing x 30’
Status: On air (ABS-CBN, debuted 17 November)
Production: Dreamscape Entertainment TV
Distribution: ABS-CBN International Sales
Youth skewing comedy drama about Drew, a 14-year-old schoolboy who
becomes a father and must learn to grow up quickly in order to raise his child.
The series explores how his mistake impacts his life, and his family. Star Nash
Aguas has been a TV star in the Philippines since childhood, and is also a pop
star.
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
16.2 DREAM DAD
Ongoing x 35’
Status: On air (ABS-CBN, debuted 24 November)
Production: Dreamscape Entertainment TV
Distribution: ABS-CBN International Sales
Sebastian “Baste” Javier is happy in his life as a rural veterinarian, but when it
seems like his parents may split up, he takes the tough decision to take over
from his father at the head of his large dairy company. This leads to a split with
his own girlfriend, but Baste finds redemption in the form of Baby, a precocious
orphan girl who has been chosen as the face of the dairy’s bestselling product.
Baby believes Baste is the father she has waited her whole life to find, and vows
to find him a new love.
21
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
16.3 GIVE LOVE ON CHRISTMAS
15x30-45’
Status: On air (ABS-CBN, debuted 1 December)
Production: Dreamscape Entertainment TV
Distribution: ABS-CBN International Sales
Daytime drama anthology, airing daily until 19 December. Three different
inspirational Christmas stories are told – The Gift Giver, The Gift of Life and
The Exchange Gift - each one consisting of five episodes.
SWEDEN
17.1 ÖGON BLÅ (BLUE EYES)
10x60’
Status: On air (SVT, debuted 30 November)
Production: Strix Drama, SVT
Distribution: ZDF Enterprises
Conspiracy thriller. The murder of a prominent right wing politician, right before
a general election, triggers reprisals from fascist group known as Veritas.
Meanwhile Elin Johansson (Louise Peterhoff) is the new chief of staff at
the Minstry of Justice, but when she digs into the mystery surrounding the
disappearance of her predecessor, she realises she may be a pawn in the same
extreme right wing plot. The series is created by Alex Haridi (Real Humans).
22
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
TAIWAN
18.1 BOYSITTER
15x70’
Status: On air (TVBS, debuted 6 December)
Production: TVBS
Distribution: TVB International
Relationship drama. Yuan Fei is an independent 28-year-old woman with a long
term boyfriend and a 6-year-old daughter. Just when she thinks she has life all
worked out, she finds herself working for a former lover who once left her at the
altar. With her current boyfriend unlikely to commit, will she take a chance on
her seemingly reformed old flame?
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
23
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
UK
19.1 NEWS: BBC to adapt JK Rowling crime novel
The BBC has signed a deal with Harry Potter author JK Rowling to adapt her
first crime novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, as a serial drama. The book, written
under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, is the first of a series centred on
Afghanistan war veteran turned private detective Cormoran Strike. Rowling will
develop the series through her Brontë Film and TV production company. Brontë
Film is also behind the upcoming three-part BBC adaptation of Rowling’s The
Casual Vacancy, due to air in February 2015.
19.2 NEWS: BBC developing An Inspector Calls TV movie
Drama Republic, the production company responsible for The Honourable
Woman, has been commissioned to produce a 90’ TV movie adaptation of
JB Priestley’s classic 1945 play, An Inspector Calls. Aisling Walsh (Room at
the Top) is attached to direct. The single location story features a middle class
family interrogated in their home by a detective investigating the suicide of a
young woman. The BBC previously adapted the play as a serial in 1982, and it
has been performed twice in recent years on BBC Radio 4.
19.3 NEWS: ITV details Beowulf action series
ITV Studios has released more information about its upcoming Beowulf series,
which has now been given a greenlight. The 13-episode show will be written
by James Dormer (Strike Back) and is described as a “Dark Ages western”.
It will follow the legendary warrior from the mythical Shieldlands, as he slays
the monstrous Grendl and wins the favour of the people of Herot. Shooting will
begin in Spring 2015.
24
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
19.4 NEWS: Shooting begins on Sky’s Apocalypse Slough
Shooting is set to begin in January 2015 on Sky One’s new comedy,
Apocalypse Slough. The 10x30’ series will be written by Iain Hollands (Beaver
Falls) and produced by Working Title.
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19.5 NEWS: Production underway on transgender
romantic comedy Boy Meets Girl
Tiger Aspect will shoot transgender sitcom Boy Meets Girl in January 2015.
The 6x30’ series follows the relationship between Leo, a luckless 26-yearold man, and Judy, a 40-something transgender woman. The script came to
attention thanks to the BBC’s Trans Comedy Award, which set out to find more
positive portrayals of transgendered people. A pilot episode was well received
at the BBC Salford Sitcom Showcase in March 2014.
19.6 NEWS: ITV sets date for Broadchurch return
Hit mystery drama Broadchurch will return to UK screens for a second season
on 5 January 2015, ITV has confirmed. Olivia Colman and David Tennant will
both reprise their roles in the Kudos produced show. The news comes at the
same time as Fox’s announcement that the show’s US remake, Gracepoint,
will not be renewed. Also starring Tennant, Gracepoint struggled in the ratings
throughout its 10-episode run.
19. UK
20. USA
25
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
19.7 BRIAN PERN: A LIFE IN ROCK
3x30’
Status: On air (BBC Two, debuted 9 December 2014)
Production: BBC Comedy Productions
Distribution: BBC Worldwide
Comic actor Simon Day (The Fast Show) revives the character of Brian Pern
for a second limited series. Loosely modelled on Peter Gabriel, Pern is an
eccentric former prog rock star. In 2013, he hosted a mockumentary series
about the history of rock music. In this follow-up, we follow Pern himself through
a series of ill-advised projects, including a West End musical. Nigel Havers,
Martin Freeman, Roger Moore and Tim Rice are among the star-studded
supporting cast.
19.8 MARKED
1x30’
Status: Completed (Sky Arts, debuts 18 December 2014)
Production: Sky Arts
Distribution: Sky
Kiefer Sutherland and Stephen Fry co-star in this one-off drama special,
produced as part of the Playhouse Presents strand. Sutherland plays a
desperate man in dire financial straits, who is offered a way out of his
predicament if he performs an assassination. However, the job turns out to be
more complex than it first appears.
26
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
19.9 THE INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES OF PROFESSOR
BRANESTAWM
1x60’
Status: Completed (BBC One, debuts 24 December 2014)
Production: BBC In-house Comedy
Distribution: BBC Worldwide
Family comedy special, based on Norman Hunter’s anarchic children’s novels.
Comedian Harry Hill stars as the scatterbrained Professor Branestawm, whose
unpredictable inventions and chaotic experiments attract the attention of the
stuffy Great Pagwell town council. Adapted by Charlie Higson (The Fast Show),
the film features a line-up of British comedy stars in supporting roles. The
books, the first of which was published in 1933, were previously turned into a
sitcom in 1969.
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
19.10 STILL OPEN ALL HOURS
6x30’
Status: Completed (BBC One, debuts 26 December 2014)
Production: BBC In-house Comedy
Distribution: BBC Worldwide
Following a one-off revival in 2013, the much loved sitcom about a backstreet
general store returns for a six episode run. David Jason reprises his role as
Granville, hapless shop boy in the original 1976 series, now the owner of
Arkwright’s corner shop. James Baxter, Lynda Baron, Johnny Vegas and Tim
Healy round out the cast.
27
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
19.11 MAPP & LUCIA
3x60’
Status: Completed (BBC One, debuts 29 December 2014)
Production: BBC Drama Production
Distribution: BBC Worldwide
Anna Chancellor and Miranda Richardson star in this comedy drama miniseries, based on the humorous novels of E.F. Benson. Set in 1930, the series
follows the liberated Mrs Emmeline Lucas, better known as Lucia, who visits
Tilling and its population of eccentric small town snobs. Steve Pemberton
(League of Gentlemen, Whitechapel) is both writer and co-star.
19.12 ESIO TROT
1x90’
Status: Completed (BBC One, debuts 1 January 2015)
Production: Endor Productions
Distribution: Red Arrow International
Star-studded feature length adaptation of Roald Dahl’s novel about a shy old
man who embarks on an elaborate scheme to win the affection of his neighbour,
by making her think he has a magic spell to make her pet tortoise grow larger.
Dustin Hoffman and Judi Dench star, while the script comes from Richard Curtis
(Four Weddings and a Funeral) and Paul Mayhew-Archer (The Vicar of
Dibley).
20. USA
28
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
USA
20.1 NEWS: Univision recuts telenovelas for online binge
viewers
One of the key contradictions facing the drama market is the global popularity
of long form telenovela styled series, and a condensed digital media landscape
where brevity is preferred. US-based Spanish language producer Univision
Communications is tackling the problem head on with the launch of Novelas
Xpress. Available from 20 November 2014, this new brand takes 17 of
Univision’s most popular series and edits them down to more digestible 15 hour
limited series, rather than 100s of hours. Nine are available on Hulu, including
Alborada and Soy Tue Duena, while Univision’s own UVideos platform hosts
eight series, including Abismo de Pasion and Piel de Otono.
20.2 NEWS: George Clooney developing Hollywood
comedy drama
George Clooney is preparing a packaged comedy drama set in a Hollywood
studio in the 1990s. Peter Tolan (The Larry Sanders Show, Rescue Me) will
write the scripts, while Oscar-tipped director Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher) is lined
up to shoot the pilot. Clooney’s Smokehouse company will produce, via Sony
Pictures Television, with the project reportedly being presented to buyers now.
20.3 NEWS: Starz heading to Storyville
Playground Entertainment is developing a new drama for Starz. Storyville will
be set in New Orleans at the turn of the 20th century, when the city’s hedonistic
reputation was formed in a crucible of legal prostitution, alcohol and jazz. Movie
director George C. Wolfe will act as both screenwriter and director on the series.
20.4 NEWS: Showtime’s Roadies casting takes shape
Christina Hendricks (Mad Men) is the latest cast member to join Showtime’s
rock and roll drama, Roadies. The series, developed by Cameron Crowe
(Almost Famous) and JJ Abrams (Star Trek), follows the backstage life of a
major rock band on an arena tour. Hendricks will play the band’s production
manager, alongside Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums) as the tour
manager. Crowe, a former rock journalist and Oscar-winning director, will helm
the hour-long pilot episode. Bad Robot and Warner Bros TV are the production
companies.
29
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
20.5 NEWS: FX orders pilot for rap comedy Atlanta
FX Productions will produce a pilot for a new sitcom set in the rap music
industry. Atlanta comes from Donald Glover (Community) and will revolve
around two cousins, one who becomes a commercial rap star while the other
attempts to retain his credibility and integrity. Glover, who has a successful rap
career under the alias Childish Gambino, will star as the second cousin.
20.6 NEWS: CBS preps Criminal Minds spin-off
CBS is to make a second attempt to create a spin-off series from its hit
procedural, Criminal Minds. The proposed series would focus on FBI agents
who come to the aid of Americans in trouble overseas. The cast and concept
will be tested in a standalone episode of the current season of Criminal Minds,
and if popular will go to series. The same back door pilot approach led to the
2010 spin-off, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behaviour, which failed to survive
beyond its original 13 episode order.
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
20.7 NEWS: Netflix announces launch date for House of
Cards Season 3
Kevin Spacey will return as scheming politician Frank Underwood on 27
February 2015 as House of Cards returns for a third season, Netflix has
confirmed. The Emmy and Golden Globe winning series was originally signed
for two seasons, but has proven to be one of the defining successes of the
streaming media market.
30
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
20.8 NEWS: NBC commits to script for talk show sitcom
Kate On Later
Lauren Graham (Parenthood, Gilmore Girls) will co-write and star in a new
single camera sitcom for NBC. Kate On Later will be set in the TV industry,
and will feature Graham as America’s first female late night talk show host.
Appropriately, given the concept, comedian turned chat show host Ellen
DeGeneres will produce via her A Very Good Production company. Warner
Bros TV is the studio.
20.9 NEWS: John Wells developing dance drama for The
CW
Veteran producer John Wells (ER, The West Wing) is developing a drama for
The CW. The untitled project is described as “Entourage meets Three Feet
From Stardom” and follows a hip hop backup dancer who dreams of becoming
a choreographer. The story is loosely inspired by the real life experiences of
Kenny Wormald, who danced for Justin Timberlake, Madonna and Jennifer
Lopez. Wormald, who broke into acting as the star of the recent big screen
remake of Footloose, will consult on the show.
20.10 NEWS: HBO takes Scorsese/Jagger rock drama to
series
HBO has placed a full season order for the untitled music industry drama from
Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger. Set in New York in the 1970s, the show
follows a record executive trying to keep his label alive as rock comes under
attack from disco and punk. Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire) will serve as
both writer and showrunner.
20.11 NEWS: AMC orders Preacher pilot
Having scored a monster hit with The Walking Dead, AMC is betting on comic
books once again by placing a pilot order for Preacher, based on the critically
acclaimed DC Vertigo series by Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon. The controversial
storyline finds a hard drinking Texas priest possessed by the offspring of an
angel and demon, which grants him the power to make others do whatever
he says. He then teams up with his ex-girlfriend Tulip, now an assassin, and
an Irish vampire called Cassidy to track down God and make him answer for
abandoning creation. Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg (This is the End, Green
Hornet) will co-write and executive produce. HBO previously looked to adapt
the property, but declared it “too dark”.
31
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
20.12 NEWS: Dear Zachary miniseries underway at
Universal
Universal Cable Productions has struck a deal to create a scripted miniseries
based on the harrowing 2008 documentary, Dear Zachary: A Note to a Son
About His Father. The film was based on the murder of Canadian doctor
Andrew Bagby, who was killed by his ex-girlfriend, Shirley Turner, who was
pregnant at the time. Andrew’s parents fought for sole custody of the child,
Zachary, but were forced to share access with Turner. She later killed Zachary,
and then herself.
20.13 GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO DIVORCE
13x45’
Status: On air (Bravo, debuted 2 December 2014)
Production: Universal Cable Productions
Distribution: NBCUniversal International Television Distribution
Bravo enters the scripted drama market with this sassy romantic comedy, based
on the popular book series by Vicky Iovine. Lisa Edelstein stars as a fortysomething self-help and relationship guru whose life and career fall apart when
she breaks up with her husband. Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer,
Private Practice) is both writer and showrunner.
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
32
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
20.14 TIERRA DE REYES (LAND OF KINGS)
Ongoing x 50’
Status: On air (Telemundo, debuted 2 December 2014)
Production: Telemundo Studios
Distribution: Telemundo Internacional
A new Spanish language telenovela from Telemundo’s Miami studio. Three
brothers set out to avenge the death of their younger sister by seducing the
daughters of Ignacio Del Junco, the man they hold responsible. Their plan
begins to fall apart when they realise they are falling in love with the women
they believed to be their enemies. The show is a remake of 2003 Colombian
format Pasión de Gavilanes.
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
20.15 MOZART IN THE JUNGLE
10x30’
Status: Completed (Amazon Prime, debuts 23 December 2014)
Production: Pictures in a Row
Distribution: Amazon Studios
Following the acclaimed Transparent, the latest Amazon pilot to be taken to full
series continues the streaming platform’s move towards smart, urbane indieflavoured comic drama. Produced by Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman,
and with a top flight cast featuring Gael García Bernal, Malcolm McDowell and
Saffron Burrows, this is a warts and all look at the scandals and rivalries behind
the scenes of a major symphony orchestra.
33
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
20.16 GALAVANT
8x22’
Status: In production (ABC, debuts 4 January 2015)
Production: Abbey C Studios Ltd, ABC Studios
Distribution: Disney-ABC International Television
Musical fantasy comedy set in a fairy tale kingdom, as hapless hero Galavant
tries to win back his true love, Madalena, from the evil King Richard. Director
Dan Fogelman, composer Alan Menken and lyricist Glenn Slater all previously
worked together on Disney’s Tangled. The series will air two episodes back to
back, for four weeks, during Once Upon a Time’s mid-season hiatus.
20.17 MARVEL’S AGENT CARTER
8x60’
Status: In production (ABC, debuts 6 January 2015)
Production: ABC Studios, Marvel Television
Distribution: Disney-ABC International Television
Hotly tipped spin-off from the blockbuster Captain America movies, starring
Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter. Set in 1946, Agent Carter works as a spy for the
nascent SHIELD organisation, tracking down America’s enemies with help from
millionaire philanthropist Howard Stark and his servant Jarvis. The series will
run as a mid-season replacement while Agents of SHIELD is off air.
19. UK
20. USA
34
1. K7 Scriptlist December 2014 Line-Up
2. Current and Emerging
Trends
3. Australia
4. Brazil
5. Canada
6. China
7. Columbia
8. France
20.18 TOGETHERNESS
8x30’
Status: Completed (HBO, debuts 11 January 2015)
Production: HBO
Distribution: HBO
Indie movie auteurs The Duplass Brothers bring their lo-fi aesthetic to television
in this bitter-sweet comedy drama about two couples living under the same roof
while trying to solve their own relationship problems. Mark Duplass (Safety Not
Guaranteed), Melanie Lynskey (Up in the Air), Amanda Peet (The Good Wife)
and Steve Zissis (Her) head the cast.
9. Germany
10. Hong Kong
11. India
12. Japan
13. Korea
14. Mexico
15. Nigeria
16. Philippines
17. Sweden
18. Taiwan
19. UK
20. USA
20.19 WHITNEY
1xTBC
Status: Completed (Lifetime, debuts 17 January 2015)
Production: Silver Screen Pictures
Distribution: A+E Networks
Lifetime stumbled with its Aaliyah biopic, which tanked with both critics and
audiences in November 2014, but it returns with a new biographical drama
about R&B icon Whitney Houston. On paper, at least, Whitney has far more
impressive credentials – the domestic drama about Houston’s turbulent
marriage to fellow singing star Bobby Brown marks the directorial debut of
Oscar-nominated actor Angela Bassett, who worked alongside Houston in the
1995 movie, Waiting to Exhale. Houston will be portrayed by Yaya DaCosta
(The Butler), while her singing voice is provided by Grammy nominee Deborah
Cox, who also worked with the singer in real life.
35