Prime Video Italy Lines Up Kobe Bryant Italy Doc, ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’ Remake And Feature On Singer Mahmood In 15-Strong Slate

Jesse Whittock
·16 min read
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Prime Video’s latest Italian content showcase in a scorching hot Rome has lifted the lid on a 15-strong slate of drama series, movies, docs and entertainment shows, while revealing the commentary line up for its UEFA Champions League coverage.

Among the Amazon streamer’s latest exclusive Italian content is a doc on late basketball star Kobe Bryant, who grew up in Italy; a feature doc on beloved Italian singer-songwriter Mahmood and a remake of Whose Line Is It Anyway?. There is also a new movie from comedian Maccio Capatonda, several comedy specials, new seasons of LOL and Dinner Club and first looks at scripted series Everybody Loves Diamonds — which has welcomed Rupert Everett and Malcolm McDowell to its cast — and The Bad Guy.

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The Champions League soccer line-up will see Napoli hero and World Cup 2014 finalist Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi, two-time Champions League and World Cup 2006 winner Alessandro Nesta, and his former teammate Massimo Oddo, also a Champions League winner and world champion, joining the team of lineup of journalists and experts for the 2022-23 season of UEFA Champions League.

See the full line up at the bottom.

Kobe – Una Storia Italiana is a documentary on basketball great Kobe Bryant, who grew up in the basketball courts of Italy enjoying pasta, country life, and football. It will be told by people who lived alongside him in those incredible years and show how a teenage young ‘Black Mamba’ conquered Italian basketball and fell in love with the country. Directed by Jesus Garcés Lambert and written by Giovanni Filippetto, it is produced by Alessandro Lostia for Indigo Stories and will launch this year.

“The doc will show the Italian life of Kobe Bryant and will be great for Italian audiences and international audiences,” Amazon Italy Head of Originals Nicole Morganti told Deadline as she revealed the streamer had acquired exclusive Italian rights to the doc from Indigo Stories.

Meanwhile, Prova Prova Sa Sa is an improvisational comedy based on Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson’s format Whose Line is it Anyway?, which was created originally in the UK with Hat Trick Productions producing for Channel 4.

The Italian version is helmed by Frank Matano, who will be joined by comics Maria Di Biase, Edoardo Ferrario, Aurora Leone and Maccio Capatonda, who was also revealed today to be fronting an Amazon film from Leone Film Group-owned Lotus Production in association with Medusa. Endemol Shine Italy is producing Prova Prova Sa Sa, with guests including Francesco Mandelli, Corrado Nuzzo, Valeria Angione, and the comic duo I Soldi Spicci.

The series will attempt to emulate the success of Amazon Italy’s local version of Banijay format Celebrity Hunted and Japanese format LOL, which is getting a Christmas special, also produced by Endemol Shine Italy. A first-look at celebs-on-the-run format Hunted season three ran today, with Gomorrah stars Salvatore Esposito and Marco D’Amore featuring.

“We’ve tried to improve and do more local content with the content acquisition department, so we’ve decided to start doing flexible deals with production companies,” said Morganti. “Before we had to either acquire ready-made shows or start right at the beginning with original ideas but this deal allowed our local original team to focus on the creativity and the acquisitions team to do the deal. We can now enter shows at different stages and not be rigid in our deal structure.

“Prova Prova Sa Sa is an extension of that. LOL has launched and relaunched many artists and Frank Matano has absolutely deserved his show, and that’s why we wanted to give him this opportunity.”

Morganti was keen to point out that unscripted shows had always matched the number of original scripted series coming through Amazon Italy but admitted they had previously taken a back seat to high-profile dramas and comedies — not so this year. She pointed to LOL, Dinner Club and Celebrity Hunted returning, saying: “Right now we have a lot of unscripted series that are coming back, which shows that they are having success. Customers really like this sort of content, which normally in Italy comes from linear TV and is unusual on a streaming service.”

Also on the unscripted slate is a doc from director Giorgio Testi and producer Red Carpet that follows singer-songwriter Mahmood throughout his European tour, titled Mahmood — Ja ti la Crediasa Crasa. The film explores his intimate relationships with his family,  friends and collaborators. It’s billed as: “An inner journey that has music as its backbone and where love and absence find their way to coexist.” It’s written by Virginia W. Ricci and will launch soon.

“Today, we unveiled a series of outstanding projects underlining the strength of our commitment to Italian audiences, offering the largest and best content selection they can find,” said Marco Azzani, Country Director, Italy, Prime Video. “These exciting announcements about originals, exclusives, and live sports highlight our growing and continuous commitment for the Italian audiovisual industry, as well as our goal to become the entertainment hub for Italian customers, offering a wide range of content that not only reaches all our customers and meets their passions, but also attracts new stakeholders, who see in our streaming service an opportunity for growth.”

“We are so excited about our slate of originals in Italy,” said Georgia Brown, Head of European Originals, Amazon Studios. “Our Italian team, lead by Nicole Morganti, is constantly working to offer our customers shows and movies they love, and by collaborating with some of the most innovative local production companies and prominent creators, we believe we will do exactly that. We can’t wait for customers to see what’s coming, and we’re thrilled to be working with some of the most promising up and coming talent on and off screen.”

‘Different Phases Of Productions’

Looking further ahead, Morganti, whose team has grown in less than three years from just her to 12, said: “The service has grown a lot and the company is not slowing down, so when they see something is working we are pushed to do more and more and raise the bar. That’s what we’re planning for the next few years.

“We’d like to keep making local hits — some of our shows have international appeal but our focus is to do broad content for Italian audiences. We’ve done some research and seen that young adults are not just coming for the shows you might expect but are also attracted by broad shows. We’re keeping innovating on IP with Italian formats such as Dinner Club and spin-offs and then on the scripted side we’re doing a mafia show but with a comedy touch.

“We’re trying to invest more — we’re trying to expand beyond acquisitions and local originals. We’re trying to expand and pick more local content at different phases of development. We’re going to do the same amount of local originals, which we’re there from the first idea, but there are so many good shows that are different phases of production and we want to be able to be super fast get them, so we will work more closely with the acquisitions department on the various ways we can get them. We’re much more on than one team and we’re always exploring what might be the next step.”

Morganti also revealed Amazon’s various European territory leaders were in weekly consultation around projects that could travel internationally or benefit from internal co-production partners. “I’m sure people will watch to see if the LOL Christmas special does well and do their own if it does,” she said, adding versions of travelogue format Dinner Club are in development in unnamed countries.

The Full Prime Video Italy Presents… 2022/23 Content Line-Up, via Amazon’s news release

  • LOL Xmas Special: Chi ride è fuori, a Christmas special featuring  seven comedians (and a co-host) from Seasons One and Two of LOL: Chi ride è fuori, the record-breaking Italian Original comedy series, who will go head-to-head once again in this hilarious comedic contest. But this time, the challenge will have a Christmas flavor. Fedez will reprise his role as host and referee, observing from the “control room” contestants Mara Maionchi, Frank Matano, Maria Di Biase, Angelo Pintus, Michela Giraud, Mago Forest, and Lillo Petrolo. For this Christmas edition, the experiment will last four hours, but the rules won’t change: once the first comedian laughs, they will receive a yellow card violation, and a second offense will earn them a red card elimination, which will cost them the game. The last comedian to remain straight-faced, and therefore the “last one laughing,” will be the LOL winner, and will be able to donate €100,000 to a charity of their choice. LOL Xmas Special: Chi ride è fuori is produced by Endemol Shine Italy for Amazon Studios, and will be available exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide at Christmas 2022.

  • Food travelogue Dinner Club returns for a second season with Michelin-starred chef Carlo Cracco, who will again travel around Italy with four very special companions—Italian actors Antonio Albanese, Paola Cortellesi, Marco Giallini, and Luca Zingaretti—to discover some of the most incredible Italian culinary wonders and traditions through trips to astonishing locations across the Sila in Calabria, the Romagna, South Tyrol, and Sicily. The chef will travel with each one of his friends, tasting incredible food and discovering unknown surprising places through adventurous and comedic food experiences. Once back from their journey, they will be joined by Dinner Club honorary members Sabrina Ferilli and Luciana Littizzetto, and will enjoy witty, engaging conversations over dinner. Dinner Club is produced by Banijay Italia for Amazon Studios, directed by Riccardo Struchil and Caterina Pollini, and will launch exclusively on Prime Video worldwide in 2023.

  • Me Contro Te – La Famiglia Reale, the new series starring kid-favorites Luigi Calagna and Sofia Scalia,who are ready for a new adventure: live in a royal palace with a noble family to learn their habits, culture, and traditions. Throughout their stay, they will learn how to behave properly, thanks to Madame Cornelia, the severe housekeeper, and Bruno, the family butler. Joining them are the Queen’s three grandchildren, the twins Divina and Tronaldo — who are used to court life — and Emma, who is rebellious and intolerant when it comes to protocol and traditions. Eventually, they discover the real reason for their stay in the palace: the queen wanted them there to give a lesson to her grandchildren: to learn the simplicity and genuineness of the life of two normal people. Produced by Colorado Film Production, Warner Bros., and Me Contro Te, the series will launch on Prime Video in 2022.

  • Sono Lillo, a new series featuring beloved comedian Lillo Petrolo as himself, as he faces the consequences of his huge success. Lillo is at the top of his career; since creating his character Posaman, he has gained instant fame, everyone wants him. It couldn’t be better, but, as always, not all that glitters is gold. After years of marriage, his wife Marzia decides to leave him. Lillo has identified himself with Posaman to the point where he never takes himself seriously. He will then embark on an adventure to win back Marzia, full of grotesque and surreal situations, hunted by the ghost of Posaman, in which he will find the most important thing of all: himself. Alongside Lillo Petrolo, the cast also features Pietro Sermonti, Paolo Calabresi, Corradoand Caterina Guzzanti, Cristiano Caccamo, and Maccio Capatonda. Sono Lillo is produced by Lucky Red, directed by Eros Puglielli and will debut exclusively on Prime Video in 2023.

  • Prova Prova Sa Sa, a comedy show focused on improvisation, with Frank Matano at the helm and a cast of four exceptional comedians: Maccio Capatonda, Maria Di Biase, Edoardo Ferrario, and Aurora Leone. In each episode, the four comedians perform in a series of improvised sketches and challenges, which sometimes are decided by Matano, other times are based on the suggestions of audience in the theatre. Some of these sketches are individual, others involve two-or-more comedians. In addition, in each episode a special guest breaks into the program and improvises with the cast with exhilarating final results, and an improbable winner in each episode. Guests include: Francesco Mandelli, Corrado Nuzzo, Valeria Angione, and the comic duo I Soldi Spicci. Prova Prova Sa Sa is produced by Endemol Shine Italy, based on the successful, award-winning format Whose Line Is It Anyway? created by Dan Patterson and Mark Leveson for Hat Trick Productions, and will be available exclusively on Prime Video in 2022.

  • The documentary that follows the singer-songwriter Mahmood throughout his European tour, tells the story of one of the most loved Italian artists. The film explores Mahmood’s most intimate relationships with people who have left a mark on his personal life: his family, always present and his point of reference, friends, collaborators. An inner journey that has music as its backbone and where love and absence find their way to coexist. The documentary is directed by Giorgio Testi, written by Virginia W. Ricci and produced by Red Carpet and will soon be available on Prime Video.

  • Improvvisamente Natale, a family comedy movie with Diego Abatantuono. The movie revolves around Chiara, an 8-year-old girl who can’t wait for Christmas to see her beloved grandfather Lorenzo (Abatantuono), owner of the delightful high mountain hotel that hosts the family celebrations. However, this year, Chiara’s parents, Alberta and Giacomo, have decided to make an offseason visit to Lorenzo, because they need his help to give Chiara the bad news: they’re getting a divorce. Lorenzo, already in crisis because he might have to sell his beloved hotel, accepts the hard task of breaking the news to his granddaughter. But first, he wants to give her one last happy Christmas…in August! The movie, directed by Francesco Patierno and produced by Notorious Pictures, will launch on Prime Video at Christmas 2022.

  • Mai dire Kung Fu – Grosso guaio all’Esquilino, a movie with beloved LOL Season Two special guest Lillo Petrolo, set in Rome and revolving around Davide, a shy 12-year-old boy forced to face the wicked neighborhood bully while trying not to look bad in front of Yasmin, the girl he likes. To do this once and for all, he decides to turn to a bizarre Kung Fu Master, Martino, a former B-Movie star now in decline and broke. Between unlikely training sessions, daring escapes, and a few roundhouse kicks, Martino and Davide will grow together and learn to face their fears. The movie is produced by Lucky Red, and will be available exclusively on Prime Video in 2023.

  • Comedy Specials: Prime Video will release a series of shows starring some of the best known and most beloved Italian comedians. The first comedy special will feature Alessandro Siani and will launch on July 26, followed this Autumn by comedy shows with comedic duo Lillo and Greg, Angelo Pintus, Enrico Brignano, Francesco Cicchella, and Maurizio Lastrico

  • Kobe – Una storia italiana, the documentary on Kobe Bryant, one of the greatest basketball players in history, who grew up in the basketball courts of Italy enjoying pasta, country life, and football. Kobe – Una storia italiana is a unique fairy tale told by those who lived alongside him in those incredible years, and tells the story of the young Black Mamba, the teenager who conquered Italian basketball and who fell in love with our country. Directed by Jesus Garcés Lambert, written by Giovanni Filippetto, and produced by Alessandro Lostia for Indigo Stories, the documentary will launch on Prime Video in 2022.

  • The new film with and by Maccio Capatonda, produced by Lotus Production, a Leone Film Group company, in association with Medusa, will be available on Prime Video in 2023.

Exclusive updates and sneak peeks on previously announced productions:

  • First look and casting announcement of Original scripted series Everybody Loves Diamonds with Kim Rossi Stuart, Anna Foglietta, Gianmarco Tognazzi, Carlotta Antonelli, and Leonardo Lidi; with the participation of Rupert Everett and Malcom Mcdowell as Khan in the cast of the heist story inspired by the 2003 “Antwerp Diamond Heist,” the world’s largest theft of diamonds. Everybody Loves Diamonds is directed by Gianluca Maria Tavarelli, produced by Mario Gianani and Lorenzo Gangarossa for Wildside, a Fremantle company, and written by Michele Astori, Stefano Bises, Giulio Carrieri and Bernardo Pellegrini. Everybody Loves Diamonds will be available exclusively on Prime Video worldwide in 2023.

  • First look of Original scripted series The Bad Guy with Luigi Lo Cascio and Claudia Pandolfi. The Bad Guy is created by Ludovica Rampoldi, Davide Serino, and Giuseppe G. Stasi, directed by Giancarlo Fontana and Giuseppe G. Stasi, and produced by Nicola Giuliano, Francesca Cima and Carlotta Calori for Indigo Film. The Bad Guy will debut worldwide exclusively on Prime Video in Autumn 2022.

  • First-look images of Original unscripted series Celebrity Hunted – Caccia all’Uomo, Season Three,the real-life thriller where a group of celebrities go on the run, attempting to stay off the radar and remain at-large for two weeks across Italy with limited financial resources. Hunting them down are some of the most renowned and feared Italian professional investigators, cyber analysts, online profilers, and human trackers from law enforcement and military intelligence. The show starring Luca Argentero and Cristina Marino, Salvatore Esposito and Marco D’Amore, Katia Follesa, Ciro Priello and Fabio Balsamo, Rkomi, and Irama will launch worldwide in Autumn 2022.Live sports I UEFA Champions League

  • The Business Lead, Sport, Prime Video Italy, Marco Foroni, announced that Argentinian former player Ezequiel Iván Lavezzi, the most beloved by Napoli fans after Maradona and 2014 World Cup finalist,  Alessandro Nesta, two-time Champions League winner and 2006 World Cup champion, and his former teammate Massimo Oddo, also a Champions League winner and world champion, will join the Prime Video lineup of journalists and experts for the 2022-23 season of UEFA Champions League. The exclusive broadcast will feature the 16 best Wednesday-evening matches, as well as the UEFA Super Cup. The three former players will join hosts Giulia Mizzoni and Marco Cattaneo; sideline reporters Alessia Tarquinio, Alessandro Alciato and Fernando Siani; commentators Sandro Piccinini and  Massimo Ambrosini; and pundits Clarence Seedorf, Claudio Marchisio, Gianfranco Zola, Júlio César, Luca Toni, Diego Milito, Patrice Evra, and Gianpaolo Calvarese.

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