FORMAT
Survey says!… Hong Kong is getting its own “Family Feud” remake as Fremantle and TVB team to bring a local format of the historic game show to the island’s airwaves. Local broadcaster TVB will host the show on its TVB Jade Channel starting Aug. 29 of this year. The new version of the series will be hosted by popular actor, producer and comedian Johnson Lee.
“Family Feud” Hong Kong is the latest in a string of Fremantle properties to land on the island, following in the footsteps of “America’s Got Talent,” “Britain’s Got Talent,” “Jamie’s 30 Minute Meals” and “Great Railway Journeys,” among others.
“The ‘Family Feud’ format has proved to be irresistible to over 70 international markets, and now audiences in Hong Kong can see what the survey says,” said Fremantle senior VP of distribution Asian and international Haryaty Rahman. “There are endless possibilities for humorous and outrageous answers which make this classic gameshow a great watch.”
PRODUCTION
Production has wrapped on one of Germany’s banner series of 2021, the RTL Group’s “Sisi,” a six-hour drama sold by Beta Film which RTL will release on its streaming service, TVNow, at the end of 2021. Swiss-American actress Dominique Devenport (“Night Train to Lisbon”) plays Empress Elizabeth of Austria-Hungary, a figure immortalized by Romy Schneider in the 1950s film series. Shedding new light on her figure – its producers say – “Sisi” has shot for four months in Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Hungary and finally Germany It is produced by Story House Pictures (Jens Freels and Andreas Gutzeit, also showrunner) in collaboration with Satel Film and Beta Film. Ratings will show if the combination of period drama, beloved IP and large scale production will allow “Sisi” to face off with big plays from the global platforms. – John Hopewell
SALES
Eccho Rights has closed a deal with Japanese broadcaster Wowow for Bigster and Nordic Entertainment Group’s “Honour,” originally commissioned for Viaplay in Sweden. A domestic breakout hit right from the start, “Honor” has since sold to more than 60 territories, making it one of the country’s most successful TV exports of all time. The series will be made available on Wowow’s On Demand streaming service, alongside other premium international drama series content. “Honour” was Viaplay’s first original series to score international pre-sales in 2019, and recently received a third season commission set to air next year.
DISTRIBUTION
Boutique distribution company Crescendo House is releasing its first feature film, Japanese auteur Obayashi’s (“Hausu”) “Labyrinth of Cinema.” Established earlier this year, Crescendo House has flipped traditional distribution models by making the film available first through a limited edition, early access home video release in North America. Later, the film will receive traditional theatrical distribution in cinemas across the continent. The final film from the late filmmaker, “Labyrinth of Cinema” turns on three teenagers who are transplanted into the world of Japanese war films.
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