‘Twin Peaks’ Sets Deals for Germany, Russia, Central and Eastern Europe
CBS Studios Intl. has announced a raft of new deals for Showtime’s highly anticipated return of “Twin Peaks,” covering much of Central and Eastern Europe, including major-market deals in Germany and Russia.
“Twin Peaks” will be broadcast on Sky in Germany and Austria in parallel with its U.S. launch. The two-hour premiere airs simultaneously on May 21 on Showtime and in the early hours of May 22 in Germany and Austria via Sky On Demand, Sky Go and Sky Ticket. Sky Atlantic will then air a German-dubbed version of the show on May 25. The previous two seasons of the show, from a quarter-century ago, will be made available ahead of the launch on Sky Box Sets.
CBS secured twin deals in Russia for the return of “Twin Peaks” with the announcement of two licensing agreements. Russia’s TV-3 has taken free-to-air rights for the show, which will premiere in Russia in original language on May 22, just a day after its U.S. outing.
Amedia TV has acquired Russian pay-TV rights as part of a largely multi-platform licensing agreement for programming produced by CBS and Showtime. Amedia TV will also launch the show May 22 via its digital SVOD platform Amediateka.
The Amedia TV deal with CBS also sees it secure pay-TV rights to “The Good Wife” spinoff “The Good Fight” and Showtime’s upcoming drama “I’m Dying Up Here,” executive produced by Jim Carrey and starring Oscar-winner Melissa Leo; as well as rights to catalog series “The Borgias,” “Californication” and “Dexter.”
“In the ’90s, ‘Twin Peaks’ revolutionized television,” said Valery Fyodorovich, general director of TV-3. “David Lynch achieved the impossible by creating a new television drama format and found a completely different way to interact with the audience. That’s why the new ‘Twin Peaks’ fits perfectly into our philosophy, ‘Everything but the ordinary.’”
Ahead of the launch of the new show, TV-3 will air both original seasons of “Twin Peaks,” which were first broadcast 1990-1991. The original show will also be available with new Russian dubbing via Amedia’s Amedia Premium channel and via Amediateka from April 15.
CBS has also agreed a deal with HBO Europe that will see “Twin Peaks” premiere May 22 via HBO operator partners in Poland, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Moldova, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“Twin Peaks” sees original season creators and executive producers Lynch and Mark Frost return 25 years on to write and produce the new show, with Lynch directing all 18 episodes. It reunites most of the shows original cast members, including Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Madchen Amick, Dana Ashbrook, Ray Wise, Grace Zabriskie, Everett McGill, Kimmy Robertson and Russ Tamblyn. It is executive produced by Sabrina S. Sutherland.
“No return is so long-awaited,” said Marcus Ammon, senior vice president of film and entertainment for Sky Germany.
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