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Foundation is an epic sci-fi drama series co-created by David S. Goyer and Josh Friedman. Based on the Foundation book series by Isaac Asimov, the Apple TV+ series is set in the far future where humans have conquered the galaxy and are ruled by the Galactic Empire. It revolves around Hari Sheldon, a mathematician and developer of psychohistory, who predicts that the empire will fall, sending humanity to the dark ages. Foundation stars Jared Harris, Lee Pace, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Laura Birn, Terrence Mann, Cassian Bilton, Cherry Jones, Brandon P. Bell, and Alexander Siddig. So, if you loved the epic sci-fi adventure, complex storyline, and compelling characters in Foundation, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Dune: Prophecy (HBO Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Max

Dune: Prophecy is a sci-fi drama series co-developed...

David W. Zucker and Rola Bauer embraced the chaos at a Monte-Carlo TV Festival session, Monday. The duo did a keynote sit-down with Deadline entitled: ‘Embracing the Chaos: TV Thru The Multiverse’. Zucker is Chief Creative Officer, Scott Free, and Rola Bauer, a well-known face in international TV, is now an exec producing Amazon MGM Studios projects.

Inevitably in a session about industry tumult, AI came up. “I think most people in Hollywood have their heads stuck in the sand right now,” Zucker said. “There is so much fear.”

He added: “I talked to one writer who was certain that he had gotten AI notes from an executive. And I talked to one other exec, and one other agent who said it’s hard to ingest new scripts now because [they] don’t know where they came from.”

Zucker and Bauer worked together on Pillars Of The Earth and are now...

Launching later this month, the Italian Global Series Festival (Igsf) marks the long-awaited revival of the dormant RomaFictionFest, now with a spiffier, Riviera-side setting and a more ambitious remit. Running June 21–28 along the Adriatic beachfront between Rimini and Riccione, the revamped event signals more than a simple rebrand for a venerable TV showcase last seen in 2016.

“When Roma went dark, Italian drama lost its home,” says Igsf artistic director Marco Spagnoli. “We lost a place to spotlight our talent and connect creators from different backgrounds and storytelling traditions. In today’s fragmented, content-saturated world, a curated festival is more vital than ever—not just to champion great shows, but to foster real collaboration.”

Indeed, the original festival played a pivotal role in launching breakout Italian hits like “Gomorrah” and “The Mafia Kills Only in Summer,” while serving as a bridge between local talent and the international market. After winning best...

Scotland’s Stv is continuing to build its production suite by investing in former Channel 4 exec Joe Churchill’s new digital outfit, Fan Club.

At the same time, the commercial network is bringing its linear and streaming services together in one unit, while its CEO says there is “no ceiling” for international growth at production wing Stv Studios.

In a deal announced at a Capital Markets Event this morning in the UK, Stv has taken a minority stake in Fan Club for an undisclosed amount, taking the number of indie producers in its stable to 22.

Fan Club differs to the others in that it’s positioned as a branded content specialist that focuses on turning brands into broadcasters, developing channel identities and content strategies and growing audiences on brands’ owned and operated channels.

Churchill led commissioning at Channel 4’s social branded entertainment unit, working on expansion deals for shows...

Ever since the northeastern European nations Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania introduced their filming incentives about a decade ago, the region has been growing as a go-to destination for foreign shoots. No fewer than three weighty European co-productions selected for Cannes have chosen Latvia as a filming destination: Kristen Stewart’s “The Chronology of Water,” Sergei Loznitsa’s “Two Prosecutors” and Kirill Serebrennikov’s “The Disappearance of Josef Mengele.”

The Baltics’ biggest draws are their tax and cash rebates of up to 30% of local spend, which are topped by co-production and regional coin, as well as top crews, competitive production costs and diverse locations, ranging from medieval, baroque castles, Soviet era buildings, to rugged sea coastline and pristine forests.

Swedish producer Piodor Gustafsson who filmed in 2024 the Frank Spotnitz’s co-produced series “We Come in Peace” in Lithuania, praised ‘the “refreshingly straightforward” tax rebate, “exceptionally high” standard of crew and “abundance...

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Andor is a sci-fi political spy thriller drama series created by Tony Gilroy. Set in the world of Star Wars, the Disney+ series serves as a prequel series to the 2016 film Rogue One, and it follows Cassian Andor as he becomes the legendary Rebel spy that we all know and love. Andor stars Diego Luna, Kyle Soller, Adria Arjona, Stellan Skarsgard, Fiona Shaw, Genevieve O’Reilly, Denise Gough, Faye Marsay, Varada Sethu, Elizabeth Dulau, Ben Mendelsohn, Benjamin Bratt, and Alan Tudyk. So, if you loved the engaging drama, thrilling story, sci-fi elements, and compelling characters in Andor, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Firefly (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Fox

Firefly is a space Western drama series created by Joss Whedon. The Fox series is set in 2517, where almost all of the planets are ruled by the Alliance,...

The X-Files premiered in 1993 and set a new standard for sci-fi television, intriguing viewers with its intricate lore and conspiracy theories. Chris Carter created the series, and it ran for nine seasons, spawning several spin-offs, movies, and even a revival.

However, at the turn of the century, the series was inevitably winding down its run. During an interview, Carter reflected on having to end the series after one of the most tragic incidents in American history, which impacted its ending. Carter admitted that the incident meant that the series could no longer continue, and here is why The X-Files ended even before its final episode.

The X-Files creator Chris Carter admits America’s worst tragedy marked the show’s end before its finale

When The X-Files first premiered, it revolved around two FBI special agents investigating strange and seemingly supernatural cases in America. It was created by Chris Carter and...

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The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian tragedy thriller drama series created by Bruce Miller. Based on the 1985 novel of the same name by Margaret Atwood, the Hulu series is set in a dystopian future after the Second Civil War, which caused the collapse of the fertility rate and gave rise to a totalitarian society. In this world, fertile women are subjugated to bear children against their will. The Handmaid’s Tale stars Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski, Alexis Bledel, Madeline Brewer, Ann Dowd, O-t Fagbenle, Max Minghella, Samira Wiley, Amanda Brugel, Bradley Whitford, and Sydney Sweeney. So, if you loved the inventive story, thrilling drama, and compelling characters in The Handmaid’s Tale, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

The Man in the High Castle (Prime Video) Credit – Prime Video

The Man in the High Castle...

An Irish crime drama, a Brazilian heist thriller and a Nigerian fantasy about a man reborn with the powers of Jesus Christ are among the projects at this year’s Seriesmakers, a pitching and mentoring session that runs as part of the international TV event Series Mania Forum, which runs March 25-27 in Lille.

10 international projects from director-producer and director-writer teams will take part in the event, pitching their series ideas, with the top project winning the Beta & Kirch Foundation Award, including a €50,000 ($55,000) grant that will help the winning team collaborate with European production and sales house Beta Group in developing a pilot script and a full project package for their show.

The selected projects span multiple genres and countries (see below), from the Finnish foodie comedy Le Bouton D’Or, from veteran arthouse director Mika Kaurismäki (L.A. Without a Map, Road North) to the Spanish political thriller The...

“Falke Motors,” from “Pusher” co-scribe Jens Dahl, “Stick ‘Em Up” by the creators of Series Mania winner “Blackport” and “The Wonderful Golem,” from “The Cakemaker” director Ofir Raul Graizer, figure among a typically high-caliber, talent-studded lineup at this year’s third edition of Series Mania Seriesmakers.

A unique mentoring program for filmmakers making their TV creator debut – or seeking in the case of “Blackport’s” creators to hone their craft – 2025 also sees Seriesmakers adopting a new commercial edge as creators and Series Mania itself seeks to forefront shows which, without abandoning their artistic ambition, seek to cut through a still immensely competitive TV drama sector in a buyers’ market.

Speakers at this year’s edition have featured show runners, writers or producers of iconic titles which have shaped modern TV fiction: creator Christian Schwochow (“The Crown”), Quoc Dang Tran (“Call My Agent!”), multiple award winner Frank Doelger (“Game Of Thrones...

The stars of Paramount's Western TV series 1923, Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren, recently shared their thoughts on a potential third season of the show. The second season of 1923 premiered on Feb. 23.

1923 is a prequel to Paramount's Yellowstone series as well as a sequel to the 1883 television show, with Ford and Mirren starring as Jacob and Cara Dutton. The family navigates the hardships of the Prohibition, drought and the Great Depression, which affected Montana well before the Wall Street Crash of 1929. When series creator Taylor Sheridan first pitched the series, he had a two-season saga planned. But Paramount+ has yet to confirm if 1923 will end with its second season.

Related'Such a Huge Fan of His': Steve Buscemi On Reuniting With Tim Burton Over 20 Years Later for Wednesday Season 2

Steve Buscemi praises Tim Burton after the two recently worked together on Season 2 of Netflix's hit series Wednesday.

When asked by...

Steve Buscemi recently shared his thoughts on what it was like working with Tim Burton on Wednesday Season 2. The two previously worked together on the fantasy film Big Fish.

Buscemi spoke about his role in the upcoming season of Wednesday with The Hollywood Reporter, sharing what it was like to film scenes with Jenna Ortega and Burton. "I can say that I loved working with Jenna. I had worked with her earlier in the year on Klara and the Sun in New Zealand, so I got to know her a little bit before then working with her on Wednesday," Buscemi revealed. "I also got to work with Tim Burton again. It had been over 20 years since we did Big Fish together."

Related'Isn't Just Another Sci-Fi Series': X-Files Writer Returns to Sci-Fi for New TV Show

Executive producer and writer Frank Spotnitz will make his return to the sci-fi genre with a new limited TV series.

The X-Fileswriter and executive producer Frank Spotnitz will return to the sci-fi genre with a new Swedish series titled We Come in Peace. Spotnitz will serve as writing supervisor and executive producer.

Variety reports that Sponitz and his London-based Big Light Productions have joined the Swedish show. It will be a six-part sci-fi television series, with production recently wrapping in Sweden. Production company Newen Connect will unveil clips and creative materials to global buyers in London on Feb. 25, with Spotnitz and Swedish producer Piodor Gustafsson expected to attend the event. We Come in Peace marks Spotnitz's first involvement in a non-English-language project as well as his first sci-fi project since The X-Files, which earned him three Golden Globes and an Emmy nod.

RelatedCobra Kai Co-Creator Reveals Why 1 Cameo Fans Wanted Didn't Happen

Cobra Kai's co-creator explains why one particular cameo appearance that fans wanted to see never happened on the hit Netflix show.

“The X-Files” executive producer and writer Frank Spotnitz and his London-based Big Light Productions have boarded event Swedish sci-fi “We Come in Peace” as a co-producer, Variety has learned in exclusivity on the eve of London TV Screenings. Spotnitz serves as writing supervisor as well as executive producer, alongside Big Light’s Adrian Banyard.

The six-part TV show which just wrapped production in Sweden is repped internationally by Newen Connect, which will unveil clips and creative materials to global buyers at a presentation in London Feb. 25, to be attended by Spotnitz and the main Swedish producer Piodor Gustafsson of Black Spark Film & TV. The Swedish and US executives go way back. As former drama buyer and commissioner for Swedish pubcaster Svt, Gustafsson acquired in 2012 the BBC series “Hunted” created and penned by Spotnitz, and the latter has taught for the last 12 years at the Berlin-based screenwriting training course Serial...

In January of 1972, ABC first aired the made for television movie The Night Stalker. It was based on Jeff Rice’s unpublished novel The Kolchak Papers, which was adapted for tv by Richard Matheson. In The Night Stalker, newspaper reporter Carl Kolchak is investigating a series of murders in Las Vegas in which women are discovered dead and drained of blood, strange puncture marks evident on their necks. Kolchak eventually discovers that the killer is a vampire.

At the time, The Night Stalker was the highest rated television movie of all time, and Matheson won the Mystery Writers of America Edgar award for Best TV Feature or Miniseries Teleplay. A sequel tv movie called The Night Strangler aired in 1973, followed by the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, which aired on ABC from 1974 – 1975. In the series, Kolchak investigated cases of a paranormal/supernatural nature, involving werewolves, aliens and even Jack the Ripper.

Exclusive: J.K. Rowling’s longtime agent Neil Blair has backed his client amid renewed focus on the author’s transgender views as buzz builds for the HBO Harry Potter series.

In a statement shared with Deadline, The Blair Partnership founding partner said he was proud to represent Rowling, adding that his agency stands by freedom of expression.

The intervention came in response to a Deadline story, which explores how Rowling’s hardening rhetoric on transgender rights comes into conflict with diversity, equity, and inclusion policies at Warner Bros. Discovery and the BBC.

Rowling, who penned the Strike novels adapted by the BBC, has gone from saying she stands by transgender people’s right to live authentically and comfortably, to refusing to use preferred pronouns and describing some trans women as “crossdressers.”

Blair said: “I have had the pleasure of working with Jo Rowling for over 25 years. Throughout that time, I...

Vince Gilligan is an accomplished writer, director, and creator who has been awarded many prestigious honors, including Primetime Emmy, Writers Guild of America, and more. He gained huge popularity after creating Breaking Bad starring Bryan Cranston, and continued to expand his empire with another successful prequel spin-off Better Call Saul, with Bob Odenkirk.

Vince Gilligan at the 2018 San Diego Comic Con | Credits: Wikimedia Commons, Gage Skidmore from Peoria, Az, United States of America, Creative Commons By Share Alike 2.0

Over the years, the American writer has created many complicated and compelling characters for the big and small screens. His way of storytelling has brought a revolution to the television media. However, before giving back-to-back successful projects with Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, Gillian contributed to other mainstream projects as well. But you may have missed out on it.

So, in this article, we will discuss his lesser-known written TV series...

Exclusive: There is a sense of destiny in Francesca Gardiner being handed the keys to Hogwarts. The showrunner on HBO’s television adaptation of Harry Potter identifies with Hermione Granger and says she has always had an “unappealing desire to be top of the class.” Her rise to Harry Potter impresario, then, is her manifesting success on a grand scale.

Gardiner was picked for the job in June after a grueling four-month selection process involving J.K. Rowling’s input. The wheels of the Hogwarts Express are now turning, with casting underway and the writers room expanding to include Killing Eve scribe Laura Neal. As the locomotive speeds towards a 2027 premiere, Gardiner can comfortably claim to be one of the most influential showrunners in the business. The decisions she makes now could shape the careers of thousands of people for a decade, as well as catapult young actors to global stardom.

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Silo is a sci-fi dystopian thriller drama series created by FX’s Justified famed Graham Yost. Based on the Silo trilogy of novels by Hugh Howey, the Apple TV+ takes us to a dystopian future where the last ten thousand surviving humans live in a deep underground Silo, and they are told that the outside world is uninhabitable but skepticism about that statement is baked in from the start both in the characters and the audience. The one rule in the Silo everybody has to follow is not to say that someone wants to go outside because if they do they will be sent outside to die alone. Silo stars Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, Tim Robbins, Harriet Walter, Avi Nash, and Rick Gomez. So, if you loved the thrilling mystery, dark dystopian world, and compelling...

So it’s spooky time, and instead of doing something productive like making a Flukeman costume, we’ve taken a dive back into The X-Files—specifically the ‘Monsters of the Week’ episodes. Sure, everyone talks about the alien conspiracy, and don’t get me wrong, I love digging into the mythology arc as much as anyone. But what about the ones that still keep us up at night? Whether it’s from the hellish nightmares or those 3 a.m. ‘what is my existence?’ thoughts, these episodes have a way of sticking with you. You’ve been waiting for more so let’s go reignite those childhood fears…or joys.

Bad Blood- Season 5, ep 12: I’ve got a thing for unreliable narrators, especially when both Mulder and Scully are on storytelling duty. Bad Blood is classic Vince Gilligan, mixing absurdity with just enough Halloween flavor to make the list.

Max has picked up a new scripted law enforcement drama from Tomorrow Studios, a joint venture with ITV Studios known for “One Piece” and “Snowpiercer.”

The untitled project, which is being developed through a first look deal with Liz Garbus and Dan Cogan’s Story Syndicate and is loosely inspired by the life story of Geraldine Hart, follows a legendary FBI agent who returns to her hometown on Long Island to clean up mob corruption and quickly finds that the rot is even deeper and darker than she thought. Before long, she finds herself facing down nefarious entities from all sides.

In addition to Hart, Garbus and Cogan, the series is executive produced by Tomorrow Studios’ Marty Adelstein, Becky Clements and Alissa Bachner, Story Syndicate’s Nellie Reed, Eileen Myers, Anne Beagan and Anne Beagan Productions’ Stacey Sherman. Myers serves as writer on the project, while Garbus directs.

Hart most...

Scully and Mulder's relationship in The X-Files created massive hype and anticipation among fans, and it took seven seasons for them to finally share a kiss. The first canonical hookup between Scully and Mulder is implied in the Season 7 episode "All Things," where Scully leaves a naked Mulder in bed after spending the night together. While there were only four explicit instances of Scully and Mulder sleeping together in the series, The X-Files is full of suggestive moments that hint at a more intimate relationship between the two characters.

The X-Files loomed large throughout the '90s and early '00s before reviving in 2016 for two seasons. It was a major win for sci-fi, with its influence still being felt today both in the genre and beyond it. At the center of its alien conspiracies and monsters-gone-rogue storylines were Mulder and Scully, the FBI's "Most Unwanted" agents. The duo...

Dark Matter is a sci-fi thriller series created by Blake Crouch. Based on a 2016 novel of the same name by Crouch, the Apple TV+ series follows the story of a Chicago-based physicist as he is kidnapped and taken to an alternate universe. Now he must escape from there to stop his alternate self before he harms his real family. Dark Matter stars Dark Matter stars Joel Edgerton and Jennifer Connelly in the lead roles with Oakes Fegley, Alice Braga, Jimmi Simpson, and Amanda Brugel starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved all the thrills and mind-bending story of Dark Matter here are some similar shows you could watch next.

Counterpart (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Starz

Counterpart is a sci-fi espionage thriller series created by Justin Marks. The Starz series follows the story of Howard Silk, a low-level agent at a Berlin-based United Nations spy agency as he finds...

There was a mic drop moment at the end of an event in New York City celebrating 30 years of “The X-Files” when series creator Chris Carter reignited the debate around Dana Scully’s pregnancy.

Towards the end of “My Struggle IV,” the series finale episode in Season 11, Scully (Gillian Anderson) informs Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) that William (Miles Robbins) is not their son. He was an “experiment,” an “idea born in a laboratory” that she bore, Scully says. Mulder tries to come to terms with this revelation and says: “What am I now if I’m not a father?” Scully replies: “You are a father.” When Mulder asks: “What are you talking about?,” Scully places his hand on her stomach. “That’s impossible,” Mulder says and Scully replies, “I know, it’s more than impossible.”

The reveal led to a raging debate among X-philes and in a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter,...

From the tiniest micro-organism to the far reaches of the universe, sci-fi adaptations have made a triumphant splash across multiple streaming platforms. For decades, the collective groans that routinely followed book-to-tv adaptation announcements were a given.

At the same time, many science fiction books are so steeped in lore, character motivations, politics, and scientific complexities that converting prose to a "show but don't tell" format is a tall task.

Star Trek, for instance, has historically been pretty cut and dry with its science. A phaser will vaporize you, and a transporter will, well, transport you.

Now, imagine explaining the three-body problem from a show but don't tell approach.

Thankfully, the rash of exciting new sci-fi adventures solves these riddles with filmmakers and writers who are passionate about the material.

The 3 Body Problem is practically the face of Netflix right now, while Apple TV+ is going all in with upcoming adaptations...

In the episode of "The X-Files" called "Bad Blood," Agents Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny) have to get their story straight after Mulder murders a young man (Patrick Renna) believing him to be a vampire. Know immediately that "Bad Blood" is one of the rare comedy episodes of "The X-Files," and that it is deeply beloved by X-Philes the world over. Indeed, /Film listed it as the best episode of the series, replacing the show's usual funereal tone with one of whimsy. This is an episode wherein Mulder, when knocked in the head, uncontrollably begins singing "Theme from Shaft."

"Bad Blood" is told in a pair of flashbacks, telling slightly different versions of the same event, "Rashomon"-style. Scully recalls investigating a series of mysterious cattle exsanguinations in Texas and is careful to relate Mulder's behavior as cavalier and condescending. She also notes that there was no evidence of vampires.

The X-Files: Fight the Future (watch it Here). Mulder and Scully on the big screen. That’s it. Need I say more? After 119 episodes, a movie was inevitable. While Chris Carter was happy with the success that the show had generated, he wanted to make more x-philes. Carter saw the movie as an opportunity to reach an even wider audience and make any skeptics true believers, but also reward current fans. Crafting a feature film also meant the ability to be able to dive deeper into the alien mythology that the series had been slowly weaving.

Making the leap from the small screen to the big screen was quite the undertaking. Carter explained that since they had been writing mini-movies, creating a full-length feature film felt like the next logical progression. Juggling the production of 24 episodes for The X-Files and another 24 for the spin-off Millennium was no easy feat. So,...

Lille, France — The big news at Series Mania was Warner Bros. Discovery’s European roll-out timeline for Max, announced Thursday at the climax of the Series Mania’s Lille Dialogues.

The most keenly anticipated session was nearly Series Mania’ Forum first: a Netflix showcase hosted by a confident Larry Tanz who significantly proved the only goal streamer exec to drill down on volume commitment.

Nobody was saying at Series Mania the industry is in an easy place. But signs at this year’s edition that, at least in Europe, business may be turning a corner, or at least has the corner in sight. The newest normal will be a far cry from the peak TV of old, however.

Final attendance soared to 4,200 at the Forum, an all-time record. That’s hardly surprising. “You have all the French broadcasters there, a lot of European public broadcasters, a few Scandinavian commercial channels and some platforms.

Constantin Film and Big Light Productions has tapped Christian Schwochow, whose credits include “The Crown,” “Munich: The Edge of War” and “Bad Banks,” to direct its upcoming high-profile drama series “Nuremberg,” based on the Nuremberg Trials. The show will be written by Frank Spotnitz, whose credits include “The Man in the High Castle,” “Ransom” and “Leonardo.”

The series follows young survivors of World War II who go to work for Allied prosecutors trying Nazi criminals in Nuremberg, only to find their quest for justice undermined by secret efforts to build a new world order based on power, not principle.

Schwochow said: “The Nuremberg Trials marked a pivotal moment in human history, ushering in a new age of responsibility and justice. This is a story of humanity grappling with its deepest shadows. Its relevance has never been greater, and I am filled with a humble sense of duty to tell this story faithfully.

Christian Schwochow has signed up to direct Nuremberg, the upcoming Constantin Film and Big Light Productions scripted series based on events surrounding the Nuremberg trials that took place in the wake of World War Two.

Schwochow directed hit German series Bad Banks and well as episodes of Netflix’s The Crown. Nuremberg will follow young survivors of the second world war who go to work for Allied prosecutors trying Nazi criminals, only to find their quest for justice undercut by secret efforts to build a new world order.

Constantin Film and Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions are producing. Spotnitz is penning the script.

“The Nuremberg Trials marked a pivotal moment in human history, ushering in a new age of responsibility and justice,” Schwochow said. “This is a story of humanity grappling with its deepest shadows. Its relevance has never been greater, and I am filled with a humble sense...

When The X-Files first ended in 2002, there were rumors surrounding a second feature film for years. Eventually, the project got off the ground with series creator Chris Carter at the helm (and Frank Spotnitz as co-writer/producer). Titled The X-Files: I Want to Believe, the sequel film was criticized for not further exploring the alien mythology left open-ended at the end of the show's initial run. Instead, the film centered on a standalone horror story that echoed many of the show's best monster-of-the-week episodes, even if the monster isn't as traditional this time around. But that's not all I Want to Believe has going for it, and, all these years later, it's about time we took a closer look at this X-Files adventure.

Shōgun is one of the best beautiful and intense action drama series ever. Based on a 1975 novel of the same name by James Clavell, the FX series is adapted for television by Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks. Set in the year 1600 in Japan, the historical series follows the story of Lord Yoshii Toranaga as enemies unite and come to take his life, but he sees an opportunity when a mysterious European ship is found marooned in a village nearby. Shōgun has a brilliant ensemble cast including Hiroyuki Sanada, Cosmo Jarvis, Anna Sawai, Néstor Carbonell, and Fumi Nikaido. So, if you loved the beautiful imagery and ruthless action of Shōgun, then you should check out these shows next.

Medici: Masters of Florence (Netflix) Credit – Rai

Medici: Masters of Florence is not big on action but if you loved all the politics and scheming in Shōgun, then it might be right up your alley.

The Film Arcade Acquires Ukrainian Drama From Troy Ruptash

Exclusive: Writer-director Troy Ruptash’s directorial debut They Who Surround Us — which he also starred in, wrote, and produced – has been acquired by The Film Arcade. Ruptash is best known as an actor in projects like The Young Pope, playing Marc Maron’s brother, Josh Maron on his IFC show Maron, and as Don Draper on Mad Men. He is repped as an actor by SMS in the U.S. and The Characters Agency in Canada. He is managed by Jess Canty and Mark Sonoda at Cinterra Entertainment. Following the acquisition of They Who Surround Us, Ruptash has signed with Joe Fronk at Iag for literary representation.

Newen Takes Full Control Of Spain’s Kubik Films

Newen Studios has taken full control of Spanish La Zona producer Kubik Films. Newen took a minority stake in Alberto and Jorge Sánchez-Cabezudo’s company...

Another Mipcom is nearing the finish line, with tired and weary sales execs catching their flights or following up on leads from the comfort of their own homes or offices today. Set against a backdrop of ongoing labor action in the U.S. and a European TV sector hit hard by recession, the annual Cannes confab was billed as one that would prove content licensing was back with a bang (more on that below) and there was evidence of this on the ground. The focus on co-productions and emerging technologies such as AI and Fast channels also pointed to a mixed ecology for international TV, as sales houses looked for new ways to distribute their content. There was much talk of how the era of content mega-spend is over, with expensive limited miniseries not expected to be a key focus for streamers going forwards.. Here, we’ve boiled down the key trends and talking points from telly’s biggest get-together.

Correction & contraction L to R: Paramount’s Dan Cohen, Lisa Kramer and Bob Bakish

It was all anyone could talk about really. As buyers sniffed out the best deals and sellers gathered to flog their wares, there was an across-the-board recognition that never again will the market be able to sustain the mass proliferation of content that hit the TV industry in the early part of this decade. With market correction comes falling budgets and content licensing has only become more crucial (remember the forecasted death of distribution?), attendees said time and time again, reiterating the importance that Mipcom plays in the annual TV calendar. Paramount boss Bob Bakish (above right) used his Personality of the Year acceptance speech to passionately reaffirm the Yellowstone giant’s commitment to content licensing. “While our peers were pulling back content and putting up walled gardens, we never left,” he said. BBC Studios distribution boss Rebecca Glashow, meanwhile, was bullish in the face of the contraction, positing that “moments like this are when creativity comes back for the industry” on a panel alongside content boss Ralph Lee. Those Deadline spoke with in private were perhaps a little less bullish, with many uncertain about the futures of their respective local production businesses and the wider international TV sector. With the actors strike rumbling on, there was a general feeling of concern that buyers are rowing back to the extent that the production sector may have to quite dramatically shrink, while commissioners’ current penchant for risk aversion was repeatedly raised as “problematic.” The death of the high-end limited series was floated by many, as buyers stressed the need for populist content that can be returnable at a decent price point. The phrase “escapist content” was uttered to us more than once. This also follows the line we’ve heard several times over recent months that while the labor strikes could have alerted U.S. producers to the cheaper costs of shooting in Europe, it hasn’t actually played out that way. On a Deadline-chaired panel yesterday, The X Files EP Frank Spotnitz said budgets had become “obnoxious” in recent years following the entrance of the streamers, as he communicated fears that recent industry diversity gains could be impacted by these shifts. There was a sense, from producers, that they will need to hold firm and ride this out, with commissioning levels over the coming 12 months very hard to predict.

Eva the professional Eva Longoria and Cris Abrego during their keynote on Monday

Delegates crammed into the Grand Auditorium on Monday afternoon to catch sight of Desperate Housewives actress, producer and activist Eva Longoria, who used her keynote alongside Banijay Americas Chair Cris Abrego to announce a Banijay-backed venture, Hyphenate Media Group. The name represents the multi-hyphenate working lives of its owners — Longoria referred to herself as a “producer-director who fell into acting,” while Abrego is known for his formational role in Hollywood-made reality TV, C-suite roles and as a best-selling author. “That multi-hyphenate is not surviving in Hollywood because the industry wants you to stay in your lane, particularly women,” said Longoria of why she launched the new biz. “I realized it’s not just me who feels this way. I know creators who are being suffocated by the system so Hyphenate will create the ultimate model.” Abrego remains in his role at Banijay, which brought dozens of top-level execs to Cannes, and will divide his time between the jobs. Hyphenate has also consolidated Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment into the fold. On stage, the pair used the word “hyphenate” a dizzying amount of times, with Abrego explaining that both have had to duck and weave through Hollywood to become two of the town’s highest profile Latino entertainment figures. Elsewhere, the ever-captivating EbonyLife CEO Mo Abudu touched on similar themes of othering when she called out commissioners for refusing to consider African stories — and, by extension, budgets — in the same breath as those from the U.S. and Europe.

To the Max

At Deadline Towers at least, there had been real anticipation about Gerhard Zeiler’s Monday Morning Media Mastermind address. Appearing alongside Emea streaming chief Leah Hooper Rosa, the Warner Bros. Discovery (Wbd) President of International came into his talk off the back of a series of top-levels management departures and with the industry itching to learn when they could expect Max to replace HBO Max internationally. Zeiler dealt with the second point in detail but not the first. He revealed 22 Max launches in Europe next year (these territories already have HBO Max) along with a second wave later in 2024 that will include France and Belgium. Zeiler also touched on synergies. When Warner Bros and Discovery merged, David Zaslav talked about $3B in savings through synergies, and though the company has faced huge criticism for thousands of redundancies, yanking shows off of streamers and cancelling film releases to service that strategy, the figure has steadily risen. Zeiler, somewhat provocatively, revealed the $3B figure was now “on the way” to $5B, adding: “Who knows where we will end up?” However, there was nothing was said on the exits of Priya Dogra, Robert Blair and others in Europe, which was somewhat surprising given the high-profile nature of these departures.

Kids are alright “Cocomelon”

Never has owning recognizable IP been more important, and in few genres is IP more important than in children’s. With a well-attended Mip Junior once again preceding the main confab, multiple sources told Deadline they were eager to push into the sometimes-lucrative kids content game, and execs from the likes of Candle Media-backed Cocomelon outfit Moonbug spoke confidently. The recent rejig in streamer focus from subscriber growth to retention is a boon for kids content, one producer suggested. “Now it’s all about keeping families on the platform, and you need a strong children’s library to do that,” they added. Recent moves from some of the European majors in this space have been intriguing. Just prior to Mipcom, Studiocanal promoted TV boss Françoise Guyonnet to CEO Copyrights Group and EVP Kids’ Brands, signaling a move into children’s IP, while BBC Studios’ Lee and Glashow talked up the outfit’s recent decision to commercialize its kids production outfit. “Broadcasters and commissioners are falling back behind known IP,” added Lee of the thinking behind the decision. Kids IP is certainly known, and it appears we’ll be hearing plenty more from this section of the market over the coming months.

Deals & projects

Mipcom has changed a fair bit over the years and TV deals really have become a 365-days-per-year business but that doesn’t mean there weren’t some juicy handshakes and buzzy projects for delegates to their teeth into through the early part of the week. Leading the charge, we revealed James Franco-starring Mena TV series penned by Shades of Blue scribe Adi Hasak. On Sunday, we told you about Beach House Pictures doc Lost and Banijay Rights taking on Shine director Scott Hicks‘ projects about musician Ben Folds. Mediawan struck European deals for high-profile premiere series Zorro, Fremantle did similar for Channel 4 format The Piano and Planet Earth III sold to Australia. Perhaps the most fun market project doing the rounds was our exclusive on The Wombles being remade for TV, while we also brought news of Fast & Furious star Sung Kang’s The Ride Life doc series, a feature on Israel’s Supernova Music festival – site of the October 7 massacre – and Vix’s Todo Lo Que Fuimos. Plenty more here.

By the numbers Valery Hache/Afp via Getty Images

According to organizer Rx France, the 39th edition of the international sales and co-pro market attracted 11,000 executives from 100 countries, up by 200 from the 2022 figure. It’s always hard to know exactly how accurate figures like this are with an event of this scale, but it’s impossible to deny there wasn’t buzz and activity around non-stop. Keynotes were well attended and occasionally standing-room only but some still have seating sections closed off to fill space closer to speakers. Crucially, Rx noted more than 3,500 buyers were in town, which is important given all the talk around the return of third-party sales and co-pros. “Given the buzz from the stands, what the leaders have said on stage, and the sheer volume of content deals done, it is clear that third party sales and distribution are back,” was the way Mipcom Cannes Director Lucy Smith put it in a statement. “That concentration of activity in one place, at one time, can only be a catalyst to the international market overall,” she added. One criticism we heard on the ground from several sources was a perceived lack of U.S. companies present — though with the likes of Paramount and NBCUniversal coming out in force, and Disney back on the block in a more visible way, Rx might push back against that. Deadline also understands Netflix sent a small delegation, who kept fairly under the radar. The company can also point to its statistic that U.S. buyers made up the largest chunk, followed by the UK, France, Germany and Spain. Other numbers to chew on: More than 320 companies exhibited in and around the Palais des Festivals, including 31 pavilions (50 made their market debuts). China sent its biggest delegation since 2019 as it was named Country of Honour, comprising more than 300 delegates from 40 companies. Middle Eastern participation was up 50% year-on-year, a surprising stat given Israeli companies didn’t attend due to the ongoing conflict there, but we hear there was more presence from Turkey, the UAE and the wider Gcc region offsetting that fall. Security was tight with France on high alert following the murder of a school teacher following the Hamas-led attack on Israel, and queues to enter the Palais often snaked well back towards the marina. As Deadline headed out of town, eight airports (six when at the time of reporting yesterday) including the Cannes-friendly Nice, were evacuated as security threats were identified. Smith addressed the conflict just prior to Zeiler’s Monday keynote, saying her heart goes out to the thousands who have died and stressing the additional security.

Queen Elizabeth II may have popularized the phrase “annus horribilis” decades ago, but the Latin term feels more relevant than ever when thinking about the state of the U.S. TV sector in the last year.

Midway through 2022, the industry was rocked by an unanticipated Netflix subscriber slide that sent shockwaves through Wall Street. Since then, there have been a series of struggles for virtually all legacy studios and streamers, thousands and thousands of layoffs across the sector and dual labor strikes for the first time since a young Ronald Reagan was helming the actors’ union.

When it rains, it pours, as they say, but what did this all mean for the industry outside the States? As globalization has taken hold, the international business has become more intrinsically linked with the U.S. and is also largely driven by the streaming revolution.

Deadline has spoken to around a dozen creatives,...

Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions, the company behind such hits as “The Man in the High Castle” and Rai’s “Leonardo,” has snagged the rights to L.M. Logan crime thriller novel “29 Seconds.”

Founded by its CEO Frank Spotnitz, who was also an executive producer and writer of the seminal sci-fi drama series “The X-Files,” Big Light is teaming up with Tomorrow Studios, producer of Netflix’s hit manga adaptation, “One Piece,” to adapt the bestseller as a limited drama series with the working title, “One Name.”

To be written by London School of Economics-educated and former lawyer Sara Collins, the psychological revenge thriller turns on Sarah, a university lecturer who faces harassment from her boss.

An encounter with a powerful figure offers her a deal to solve her problems with no consequences. A life-changing 29-second phone call will bring into question whether she is willing to risk...

Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions, producers of The Man in the High Castle and Medici, has snatched up the adaptation rights to T.M. Logan’s hit novel 29 Seconds. Big Light will adapt the book as a limited drama series through the company’s first-look deal with ITV Studios partner Tomorrow Studios, which produced Netflix’s live-action Manga adaptation One Piece.

29 Seconds, T.M. Logan’s second novel, is a psychological revenge thriller centered around a woman facing harassment at work who is given the opportunity to make a single, 29-second phone call where she only has to say the name of her sex pest boss, and he will disappear forever.

The series adaptation, being developed under the working title One Name, will be executive produced by Spotnitz and Elizabeth Kesses from Ejk Productions, along with Marty Adelstein and Becky Clements from Tomorrow Studios. The series will be told from...

Thriller writer T.M. Logan’s 29 Seconds is being adapted into a limited TV drama series by Frank Spotnitz’s Big Light Productions as part of its first look with One Piece maker Tomorrow Studios.

Under working title One Name, the series will be penned by ITV’s The Confessions of Frannie Langton scribe Sara Collins, with Big Light seeking pre-sales at this week’s Mipcom Cannes.

Published in 2018 by the prolific British author, 29 Seconds follows a lecturer at a top university whose intolerable and obsessive boss is making her life hell. Faced with a decision to leave and uproot her family, or continue to rebuff his persistent sexual advances, Sarah feels trapped, until an unexpected encounter with a powerful and dangerous man ends with her being owed a favour that could fix her problems forever.

“T.M. Logan is famed for his seriously addictive storytelling and gritty narratives that have audiences hooked worldwide,...

"Dark Asset," directed by Michael Winnick and starring Robert Patrick, is set for release on September 22, 2023, in theaters, VOD, and On Demand. The film follows an ordinary soldier who becomes a lethal living weapon in a top-secret experimental program and seeks justice and revenge by dismantling the program. The cast includes other notable actors such as Byron Mann and Helena Mattsson, and the film is produced by a team of experienced professionals, including Michael Winnick, Rigsbee, and Sargon Yoseph.

Saban Films has released the trailer for Dark Asset.

Set for a release in theaters, VOD, and On Demand on Sept. 22, Dark Asset comes from writer and director Michael Winnick. The film features Robert Patrick (Terminator 2: Judgment Day) as part of the starring cast alongside Byron Mann (Street Fighter) and Helena Mattsson (The Rookie). Viewers can get a sneak peek of the film ahead of its September release by watching the new trailer below.

Things changed forever on September 11, 2001, both in real life and in the world of entertainment. There's a clear line drawn through history; a pre-and-post 9/11 line. The most obvious example of this line is when you watch a film or TV show set in New York. If it was shot prior to 9/11, there's a good chance you'll see an establishing shot of the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center somewhere in there.

If you lived through the events, even seeing the Twin Towers in an older film or TV show can be a momentarily jarring experience. After the terrorist attacks, a trailer for Sam Raimi's "Spider-Man" showing a helicopter caught in a web strung between the towers became a kind of time capsule. Posters for the film that showed the World Trade Center reflected in Spidey's eye were pulled. And some films that came out shortly after the attacks...

Frank Spotnitz, “The X-Files” exec producer and “Medici” creator, will figure alongside Israeli producer Eilon Ratzkovsky and broadcaster-producer Johnathan Young as facilitators and mentors at the third edition of the Full Moon Creative Lab, a program open to European screenwriters specializing in thriller, horror and fantasy TV series.

Launched by the Romanian Film Promotion and Transilvania Intl. Film Festival, the Full Moon Creative Lab consists of creative residencies taking place in Romania’s Transylvania this October and in February and June 2024.

Ratzkovsky produced “The Band’s Visit,” a Cannes 2007 Un Certain Regard winner, and TV series “Sirens.” Young was the former VP of original programming and commissioning editor for Central and Eastern Europe at HBO Max.

Further experts take in Romania’s Geo Doba, a screenwriter and vice president of the alumni network for the Berlin-based Serial Eyes TV writing program; screenwriter and script doctor Gabriela Iacob, a former head of...

Stv has confirmed the acquisition of Lego Masters firm Greenbird Media, following Deadline’s exclusive report yesterday in the UK.

The Scottish network’s production arm, Stv Studios, has paid an initial £21.4M ($27.2M) for the company, whose assets include majority stakes in Lego Masters maker Tuesday’s Child Television and Crackit Productions. Israel’s Keshet International was previously the majority owner, with a 60% stake.

Yesterday, we told you Stv was nearing a deal for Greenbird, whose sale has been in the works since last year.

The deal boosts the number of labels within Stv Studios from nine to 24, as it aims to become the UK’s top producer from outside of London — a sector known within the country’s TV sector as the nations and regions. Stv will get new bases in Glasgow and London, and offices in Cardiff, Belfast, Brighton and Manchester.

Greenbird founders Jamie Munro and Stuart...

Exclusive: Scotland’s Stv is close to acquiring on-the-block Lego Masters production group Greenbird Media from Keshet International (Ki), Deadline understands.

The deal could be unveiled imminently, it is thought, and may amount to a figure in the tens of millions of pounds. Having been acquired from BBC Studios (then BBC Worldwide) in 2018, Greenbird, which is run by Jamie Munro and Stuart Mullin, first began exploring its options last year, though sources this week have said owner Keshet International did not officially put in on the block.

Headquartered in Scotland, Stv is a listed broadcasting and production company that turned over £138M last year. Its production arm, Stv Studios, is making the likes of Apple TV+ drama Criminal Record and was behind Channel 4’s Screw. MD David Mortimer recently told Broadcast he wants Stv Studios to be the “biggest nations and regions indie.”

When the deal closes, it would...

The challenges, opportunities, and above all anxieties wrought by the ongoing AI revolution were on just about everyone’s mind at a business panel held at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival this week, and which kicked off with a tone-setting disclaimer.

“We do not have the answers,” said moderator Mathilde Fiquet, who is secretary general of the European Audiovisual Production Association (Cepi). “So I think we’re all going to leave with more questions than answers, but we really need to have these discussions.”

“I haven’t spoken to a writer or director who isn’t absolutely terrified right now,” added Frank Spotnitz, the one-time “The X-Files” writer and “The Man in the High Castle” showrunner. “But being against AI [right now] would have been like being against automobiles or airplanes or the internet. It’s pointless; AI is coming.”

With that stipulation in mind, Spotnitz – whose more recent credits include “Leonardo” and “Medici” – admitted his own pessimism,...

Without a market component, the Monte-Carlo Television Festival has nevertheless built out and bulked up its industry section with each passing edition. More than anything, the move came out of sheer practicality, says executive director Cécile Menoni.

“We realized that the professionals who were already present could benefit from certain professional content,” Menoni explains. “The idea was to involve the many people who were already in attendance. To federate the juries, nominees and journalists, and to convey their overall vision of cotemporary industry concerns.”

This year’s festival business program runs from June 17 – 19, beginning with a conversation moderated by Variety’s Leo Barraclough that will find Amazon Studio’s Rola Bauer and executive producer Edward Ornelas discussing the challenges and opportunities, casting choices and artistic ambitions of the festival’s opening series, “Harlan Corben’s Shelter.”

From there we’re off to the races with eight more conferences tackling the...

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Strike Goes Global

“What happens in America happens here”: More than 20 countries came together for a global day of solidarity Wednesday, as protestors showed support for striking scribes in the U.S. In the UK, Germany, France, Korea and many other places, writers around the world showed why shepherding the WGA through its labor dispute matters. We were on the ground in the UK and Germany, and in the former a succession (see what we did there) of senior scribes along with around 200 others lined up to show support, including Jesse Armstrong, Russell T. Davies, Jack Thorne, Charlie Brooker and, from across the pond, The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace. “What happens in America happens here,” declared Doctor Who showrunner Davies, who revealed to Deadline...

The Flash showrunner Eric Wallace will be telling fellow American writers “we are not in this alone” when he returns home from London later.

Wallace was one of more than 200 scribes who attended the Screenwriters Everywhere protest in the English capital this afternoon on behalf of WGA West and he told Deadline he feels “the whole world is literally with us.”

“I’ve met so many people from all over Europe today and it gives me strength when I go back to LA to tell fellow LA-based writers that we are not in this alone,” added Wallace, who has showran The CW’s superhero hit for the past three seasons.

Eric Wallace chats to ‘Doctor Who’ showrunner Russell T. Davies at the London protest

Wallace revealed that he delayed his flight by a day in order to come to the Leicester Square protest, which was also attended by the great...

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Nordic & Cee Deep Dive

Rapid deterioration: Deadline’s in-depth analysis of the Danish TV market last week preceded one of the biggest shocks in the Scandi industry for decades. In the early hours of Monday morning, the region’s streaming powerhouse Viaplay issued a trading update signaling the immediate resignation of CEO Anders Jensen and the scorching of the group’s long-term financial guidance amidst rapid deterioration in the ad market and subscriber churn. Viaplay has been growing aggressively in recent years, greenlighting one original per week such as the high-profile Ronja the Robber’s Daughter adaptation (pictured), snapping up sports rights, and launching in key territories including the U.S., but it appears the growth has been a smidgeon too fast and stock has been tumbling.

“We are sending a message that our content doesn’t have to cost a fortune to watch,” said the CEO of fledgling streamer SkyShowtime, who said there could be more bundling in the future.

Monty Sarhan took the reins of the Comcast/Paramount Global Jv last year and has since overseen the hiring of 180 staff across seven offices, a rollout to more than 20 European territories in which Comcast’s Peacock and Now TV, and Paramount+ aren’t present, and the commissioning of a number of original series.

Speaking to Deadline before a Nem keynote in Dubrovnik, he said SkyShowtime’s pricing structure had been forged in response to “double digit inflation, a cost-of-living crisis and with war raging in Ukraine.”

Monty Sarhan: “One of the important ways we can create value is by bundling”. Image: Nem

“We are leaning into a consumer value proposition that puts consumers at the forefront,...

Warner Bros. Discovery’s (Wbd) Jamie Cooke is supercharging “original documentaries that push the boundaries” from his Central & Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Turkey region by greenlighting around 10 docs per year.

Cooke took charge of the vast territory following the WarnerMedia/Discovery mega-merger and was speaking to Deadline prior to a Nem keynote as he nears one year in post.

While Wbd is taking a light-touch approach to ordering original content from the region, especially prior to the launch of the rebranded Max streamer, Cooke said it is documentaries where he is most looking to make an impact.

“Pushing the boundaries and shining a light on topics that are challenging is really important for me,” he told Deadline. “We need to be measured and cautious in the investments we are making right now and the focus for me is really on the docs side.”

The Discovery vet, who is...