Netflix has acquired gritty Gallic crime drama Spiral, its first pickup of a non-English drama series.
Created by Alexandra Clert and produced by Son et Lumière, Spiral (known as Engrenages (= cogs) in France) bowed on Canal Plus in December 2005. The anticipated Season 4 will bow in September on the paybox.
Praised for its character development and compelling narrative, the gritty police drama centers on the day-to-day of Laure Berthaud, a tough yet flawed captain, and her two lieutenants, Gilles 'Gilou' Escoffier & Frédéric 'Tintin' Fromentin, as well as a judge (François Roban), a prosecutor (Pierre Clément) and a lawyer (Joséphine Karlsson). Show follows the characters as they investigate local murder cases and unveil corruption at the highest levels.
The Netflix deal, which is non-exclusive, covers all four seasons (40 episodes, 50-55 minutes each).
"In financial terms, it may not be as profitable as a sale to a network, but it opens great perspectives for French-language drama series", says Newen topper Laetitia Recayte.
On top of being a local ratings success, Spiral has been licensed to 72 foreign networks. It airs in the UK on BBC Four and in Australia on SBS 2.
BBC Worldwide Productions has acquired Spiral's US remake rights, with Sam Mendes' Neal Street Productions on board to develop and Meredith Stiehm (Homeland) tapped to pen.
Netflix recently acquired season 1 of Tom Fontana's Borgia, another Canal+ skein, and has pre-bought season 2, which is now in production.
Source : Variety.
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