ViacomCBS International Studios (VIS) president JC Acosta has used his virtual NATPE address to unveil the studio’s latest slate of content, spanning high-end drama series, TV movies, documentaries, and kids content.
Among the more eye-catching content announced by JC Acosta was an action heist series, titled Electric Years, which VIS is co-producing with CBS Studios and LatAm production outfit Dynamo.
Created by Fernando Navarro (Veronica) and Cristian Conti (Wild District), the show is set in Europe during the Spring of 1968 throughout the student revolution. At the center of it all is Campano, a wanderer, daredevil, and an unlikely, anachronistic hero who journeys across the Mediterranean.
Acosta also pulled the curtain back on another development: The Gold. Written by Neil Forsyth, the screenwriter behind BBC series Guilt, the true-crime series tells the story of one of Britain’s most notorious criminal investigations.
Elsewhere, The Great and Tin Star scribe Vanessa Alexander has been named as the lead writer on VIS’s TV series on Italian artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, from Pan’s Labyrinth producer Frida Torresblanco. The project is currently titled Artemisia.
The studios’ Mexican comedy Se Rentan Cuartos has been renewed by Comedy Central, while Peter Barsocchini (High School Musical) and Adam Anders (Glee) are writing TV movie A Very Kally’s Birthday, which follows on from Nickelodeon Latin America’s series Kally’s Mashup.
Meanwhile, ViacomCBS International Studios documentaries and kids lineup includes:
- Dr. Ballí: A series based on the life of Alfredo Ballí, a doctor from Monterrey, Mexico, who was convicted for murdering his lover and inspired the creation of one of the most chilling villains in literature and film, Hannibal Lecter.
- A Woman in Black Boots: A documentary directed by Everardo Gonzalez and based on a mysterious secret operation that took place in Mexico City after the last major earthquake in 2017. A team of 45 rescue specialists were recruited by the Israel Military Forces and deployed to Mexico to complete a special mission of rescuing a maximum priority target.
- Adriano the Emperor: A film that features the life of Adriano Ribeiro, one of the biggest stars in the history of Brazilian soccer.
- 38 Stars: Directed by Lorena Muñoz, this documentary is based on the bestseller book by author Josefina Licitra that tells the story of “Operation Star.” An event that took place in 1971 in Uruguay, known as the biggest escape operation from a women’s prison in the history of the country.
- Marcelo, Marmelo, Martelo: In association with Coyote Producciones Cinematográfica, VIS is developing a series based on the popular collection of books by Brazilian writer Ruth Rocha. The story follows the adventures between the past and the present of the children of the Caramelo neighborhood. The series will be directed by Duda Vaisman and Calvito Leal.
“This slate represents the vast depth and breadth of global stories and voices that represent a compelling offering to our partners and audiences,” said Acosta.