At Series Mania Forum’s inaugural Buyers Upfront, Erik Barmack’s “Fusion,” Sally Wainwright’s “Riot Women,” and the epic fantasy “War of the Kingdoms” are some of the anticipated standouts, according to a lineup announcement by Series Mania founder and director general Laurence Herszberg on Tuesday.
Getting started with a Beta Brunch on March 24, the Buyers Upfront will showcase the newest series from ARD, ZDF Studios, Mediawan, Sidus, Beta Film, Slot Machine, REinvent, and Bande à Part Films – creating an enticing lineup.
The Upfront emphasizes two notable tendencies: a shift towards English-speaking productions that offer greater potential for sales on U.S. streaming platforms; and an enticing financing strategy, particularly for specially produced foreign-language series, by securing partners and pre-sales from European broadcasters instead of the difficult-to-navigate U.S. deal with a streamer.
A key focus for Wild Sheep Content’s executive producer Erik Barmack has been to attract “top talent from smaller countries.” With “Fusion,” this goal is being realized for the first time as it enters production, marking a significant milestone for Icelandic production company ACT4, a new powerhouse in the industry. The series is jointly created and penned by Hörður Rúnarsson, a renowned Icelandic television series producer known for his work on “As Long As We Live” and “Black Sands.” Wild Sheep Content’s operations are supported by The Mediapro Studio.
The new production “Riot Woman,” from Wainwright (known for shows like “Happy Valley,” “Last Tango in Halifax,” and “Gentleman Jack”), is being distributed to BBC and Britbox in the U.S. and Canada. This series is produced by Drama Republic, a division of Mediawan, a U.K.-based company that has also worked on “Doctor Foster.
Additionally, there’s “War of the Kingdoms,” a massive medieval fantasy series, crafted by Constantin – a powerhouse from Germany. This series is a modern retelling of the legendary epic “The Song of the Nibelungs.” With an estimated budget of approximately €45 million ($47.25 million), it stands as the most expensive German production to date.
Herszberg stated that the Series Mania Buyers Upfront is a special occasion specifically designed for prominent buyers, where they get to preview exclusive, 12-minute sneak peeks of ten highly anticipated series with a wide global audience appeal. From the beginning, our aim with this fresh event was to offer exceptional access to these buyers and also encourage networking chances with the key distributors associated with these series,” she explained.
Francesco Capurro, head of the Series Mania Forum, remarked that this fresh occurrence signifies the start of an entirely novel chapter in the forum’s history. From its conception to worldwide dissemination, we are strengthening our status as a crucial spring event for the scripted community,” said Francesco Capurro.
A brief drill-down on the titles:
“Dangerous Truth,” (“Das zweite Attentat”)
Country: Germany
International Sales: OneGate Media
Production Company: Eikon Media, Deal Productions
Format: 6 episodes x 45 minutes
Genre: Thriller
Year of production: 2024
Alexander Jaromin, having spent 20 years residing in Athens under the protection of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), embarks on a desperate and risky quest to unearth the truth behind his father’s demise. This project is jointly spearheaded by director Barbara Eder, known for “The Swarm” and “Concordia”, and will be supported by influential German partners such as public broadcaster ARD, its commercial arm ARD Degeto, and financing company Bravado Media. Additionally, the public broadcaster’s subsidiary, OneGate Media, assumes the role of global distributor for this political thriller.
“The Danish Woman” (“Danska Konan”)
Country: Iceland
International Sales: The Party Film Sales
Production Company: Slot Machine
Format: 6 episodes x 47 minutes
Genre: Drama, Comedy
Year of production: 2025
Featuring Trine Dyrholm, actress from the Oscar-nominated film “The Girl with the Needle,” as a former Danish Intelligence officer who now resides peacefully in Reykjavik, yet her strong sense of justice compels her to assist her neighbors, even if they don’t desire it. This enticing series has been chosen for Series Mania’s International Panorama and is produced by Slot Machine, the company behind “Dancer in the Dark” and “Melancholia,” under the direction of Benedikt Erlingsson (“Woman at War,” “Of Horses and Men”).
“The Deal”
Country: Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium
International Sales: Gaumont
Filmmaking Companies: Band of Friends Films, Pelican Films, Gaumont Television, Biddy Bul Productions, Opposite Production
or
Movie Production Entities: Pals in Cinema, Pelican Movies, Gaumont Screenplays, Buddy Bull Productions, Reverse Creation Company
Format: 6 episodes x 46 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Year of production: 2024
Diplomat Alexandra Weiss from Switzerland facilitates crucial nuclear negotiations between the U.S. and Iran, but complications arise when Payam, a past love of hers who is an engineer from Iran, shows up, putting her commitment to Swiss neutrality at risk. The cast includes Veerle Baetens, Juliet Stevenson, and Anthony Azizi; Bande à Part Films, a renowned Swiss production company behind “Sister,” “Dog on Trial,” and “Safe House,” takes the lead in production.
“Escaping Bolivia,” (“Flukten fra Bolivia”)
Country: Norway
International Sales: REinvent International Sales
Production Company: Fenomen TV, 4 1/2 FILM
Format: 6 episodes x 44 minutes
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Year of production: 2025
Ella Øverbye, known for her role in Dag Johan Haugerud’s Oscar-winning film “Dreams” and Jakob Oftebro (“1864”), will lead the cast of a gripping true story, based on the arrest of three Norwegian women in Bolivia for drug trafficking in 2008. The plot follows the two women as they devise an escape plan. Anna Gutto, who starred in Lionsgate’s “Paradise Highway” with Juliette Binoche, will serve as the concept director, working alongside Emilie Beck, who is associated with Netflix’s “Royalteen,” in their roles as creators and episodic directors.
“Fusion,” (“Reykjavic Fusion”)
Country: Iceland
International Sales: The Mediapro Studio Distribution, Wild Sheep Content
Production Company: Act4
Format: 6 episodes x 52 minutes
Genre: Thriller
Year of production: 2024
Hailing from collaborative efforts between Arte in France and Germany, this series has already been acquired by AMC Iberia for Spain and Portugal, as well as YLE for Finland. It’s being touted as a blend of “Breaking Bad” and “The Bear,” titled “Fusion.” In the show, Darri portrays Jónas, a talented chef who was wrongfully jailed, now seeking to regain his family’s trust. However, due to social exclusion, he agrees to accept illicit funds to open a restaurant, which leads him down a path of money laundering, debt, and danger, threatening not only his parole but also his life and loved ones.
“Puzzle Lady,”
Country: U.K.
International Sales: ZDF Studios
Production Company: December FilmsFormat: 6 episodes x 60 minutes
Genre: Comedy, Thriller
Year of production: 2025
A “fascinating and cozy crime story” is what Paul Testar from Channel 5 (owned by Paramount) described it. In this series, a peculiar murder occurs in the peaceful market town of Bakerbury, leaving the police puzzled due to a crossword puzzle clue found on the victim’s body. Luckily, Cora Felton, an expert in crosswords who has recently relocated to town, happens to be a resident with expertise in this area. In the United States, it will air on PBS, while ZDF Studios will handle international sales outside of the U.S.
“Riot Women,”
Country: U.K.
International Sales: Mediawan Rights
Production Company: Drama Republic Limited
Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes
Genre: Drama
Five women, not quite elderly, form an impromptu punk-rock group to participate in a local talent competition. As they pen their debut original song, they find themselves brimming with thoughts and experiences as they navigate demanding careers, adult children, intricate family dynamics, and absconded spouses.”
A summary imbued with the unique charm of Wainright for showcasing the band’s background and inspiration.
“S Line”
Country: South Korea
International Sales: Sidus
Production Company: Sidus
Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes
Genre: Thriller, Science fiction
Year of production: 2024
Hyun-heup notices the S Line, a connection between people who share a past history. She collaborates with Detective Han Ji-wook to explore this mysterious line after her friend, following a strange pair of glasses, falls into a coma. This series hails from Sidus and premieres on the streaming platform Tving, titled “Dr. Park’s Clinic.
“Shadow Leaks,” (Schattenseite)
Country: Germany
International Sales: Beta Film
Production Company: Dreamtool Entertainment for ARD Degeto Film, funk, and Hessischer
Rundfunk, with funding from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.
Format: 6 episodes x 45 minutes
Genre: YA Thriller
Year of production: 2024/2025
In the Upfront’s latest ARD series, Nola uncovers a secretive ShadowPage site at her new high school, which exposes students’ private information, threatening to extort her. She also delves into the connection between the S Line and a recent student death. This gripping drama is the brainchild of Jonas Ems (“Toxisch”) and Hanna Hribar (“Wrong”), adapted from Ems’ bestselling novel, co-produced by ARD Degeto Film and Beta Film for young adult audiences. Previously showcased in “Wild Republic” and “The Sea Beyond.
“War of the Kingdoms”
Country: Germany
International Sales: Fremantle
Production Company: Constantin Television
Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes
Genre: Drama
Year of production: 2024
In a fresh take, “War of the Kingdoms” revolves around Hagen, a soldier and Lord Commander who is fiercely loyal to his King but harbors a clandestine, forbidden love for Princess Kriemhild – a narrative reminiscent of “The Song of the Nibelungs”. According to Oliver Berben from Constantin Film, the goal is twofold: one, to craft a unique new world and intellectual property; and two, given the high-stakes genre, a substantial budget is required to meet the elevated expectations.
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2025-03-04 11:38