While the movers and shakers of global television, streaming and all manner of digital platforms descend on the Croisette, Variety looks at 21 projects that could go viral with buyers. BaywatchShowrunner: Matt Nix; International distributor: FremantleSet for a January debut on Fox and the U.K.’s Sky, a 12-episode reboot of the iconic international blockbuster has already seen a muscular presale to Prime Video for Canada, Latin America, India and much of Europe. Stephen Amell, Jessica Belkin and Shay Mitchell lead the new red swimsuit-clad cast.
Fremantle promises it will deliver “high stakes rescues, explosive drama and plenty of beachside heat,” and such is the original’s pop culture status that this looks like one of the biggest titles at Mipcom this year. Benidorm Is MurderWriter: Ian Jarvis; International distributor: ZDF StudiosA procedural starring the versatile John Hannah in a lighter turn as a grumpy ex-cop running a Scottish pub in the Spanish resort town of Benidorm. But he’s dragged out of retirement by an enthusiastic local lass and her love of weird crimes.
A first case: A Take That tribute band is accused of murder. Produced by Blackbox Multimedia and Clapperboard Studios, written by Jarvis (“The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin”) and directed by Simon Delaney with a winning sense of kitsch. Commissioned by Channel 5.
Blindspot BerlinCo-creator, co-writer, director: David Nawrath; International distributor: Beta FilmOn Dec. 19, 2016, a truck plowed into a crowd at a Berlin Christmas market, killing 13, injuring dozens. Produced by Neuesuper (“8 Days”) with German broadcast giant ARD Degeto, RBB, NDR and HR. It was one of Europe’s two series at the Toronto Intl.
Film Festival’s high-caliber Primetime strand. Blood & SweatWriters: Riku Suokas, Daniel Toivonen, Iwasaki Marie, Heikki Silja; International distributor: Boat Rocker StudiosA serial killer mystery straddling Tokyo and Finland’s frozen north, starring Anne Watanabe (“Cube,” “Stay Mum”) and Jasper Pääkkönen (“BlacKkKlansman,” “Vikings”). The series, which was highlighted at a Tokyo Intl.
Film Festival Content Market presentation and the Coming Next From Japan showcase at March’s Series Mania Forum, is produced by AX-ON, Nippon TV, ICS Nordic and Boat Rocker Studios, and commissioned by Japan’s Wowow and Finland’s Nelonen. The Castle (“El Castillo)Creators: Isabel Peña, Eduardo Villanueva; International distributor: Movistar Plus Intl.Co-creators Peña (longtime Rodrigo Sorogoyen co-writer) and Villanueva dive into the brutal world of sex trafficking and brothels in Spain in this series, which is based on the nonfiction book “El proxenet” (“The Pimp”) by actress and filmmaker Mabel Lozano. The Movistar Plus Original has been painstakingly researched, and is set in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
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