Mediawan Talks Power Of IP As ‘Zorro’ TV Series Follows Palais Premiere With European Deals — Mipcom Cannes

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of its world premiere tonight, the Zorro TV series adaptation has landed a trio of European deals, as Mediawan Rights leans further into big-ticket IP.

M6 Groupe in France, Mediaset in Italy, DPG Media’s TVM channels in Flemish-speaking Belgium and RTL Klub in Hungary have acquired the series, which is a Secuoya Studios production for Amazon Prime Video in the U.S, Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Other deals are in negotiations.

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The ten-part series premieres tonight at the Grand Auditorium in the Palais des Festivals, with the screening of the the iconic franchise’s reinterpretation followed by a Q&A with actors Miguel Bernardeau (Elite), Renata Notni and Dalia Xiuhcoatl and executives including Secuoya Studios’ Sergio Pizzolante.

Mediawan has been pushing into louder and more expensive scripted IP over the past few years, and has supercharged its efforts after striking a $100M+ funding deal with Entourage Ventures. “It’s not just the questions of the size of the catalog but the ambition,” said Mediawan Rights Managing Director Valérie Vleeschhouwer

“The screening is a real chance to introduce Zorro to all the delegates,” she added. “It’s great exposure for the show.”

Secuoya Studios made Zorro for Amazon Prime Video in the U.S, Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Andorra in early 2024 with Mediawan Rights holding global distribution rights elsewhere. The new series marks the screen comeback of the swashbuckling hero after almost two decades, as written by Carlos Portela (Hierro, Velvet Collection) and directed by Javier Quintas (Money Heist), Jose Luis Alegría (Toy Boy) and Jorge Saavedra (Mr Smith and Mrs Wesson).

Set in 1834 Los Angeles, against the backdrop of an emerging world in which different races try to live together, it follows a new version of Diego de la Vega, a landowner and, when in disguise, the masked hero of the people. After the killing of the previous Zorro, his father, de la Vega cuts short studies in Spain to return to California and avenge the death.

Rising Mexican star Renata Notni (El Dragón: Return of a Warrior) plays Lolita Marquez, the love of Zorro’s youth, and Dalia Xiuhcoatl, Paco Tous, Emiliano Zurita and Joel Bosqued are also part of the cast.

Zorro is executive produced by John Gertz, founder of Zorro Productions Inc. and producer on The Mask of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro movies, alongside David Martínez, David Cotarelo, Pizzolante and Angela Agudo for Secuoya Studios, Andy Kaplan for KC Global Media and Jesús Torres and Glenda Pacanins at NoStatusQuo Studios. Entourage Ventures is a financier.

Mediawan Rights is in Cannes with a catalog comprising new factual, dramas such as French action series Machine and unscripted, but topping the slate is Zorro and another retelling of a classic story, The Count of Montecristo.

Adapted by Greg Latter from the Alexandre Dumas novel, the series will star Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & The Six) as a young sailor wrongfully jailed for at the frightening Château d’If island fortress, who eventually escapes, assumes the persona of the Count of Monte Cristo and plots his revenge on those who had him imprisoned. Pelle the Conqueror‘s Billie August is the director.

“We have started shooting this prestigious drama,” said Vleeschhouwer. “It’s the exact model we want to have at Mediawan: It’s uUniversal and one of the most fantastic IPs you can have. Entourage is also partnering with us for it.”

Italy’s Palomar is producing the eight-part series in collaboration with France’s DEMD Productions, in association with Entourage Ventures. Pubcaster RAI and France Televisions are the commissioning networks in Italy and France, respectively.

“Our market is very dynamic,” said Vleeschhouwer. “The production side is moving as the streaming landscape is changing and linear landscape is having tough times with viewing decreasing. It’s tense and complicated on the business side, which is more and more challenging, and people are more selective so we have to support content that will speak to the audience.”

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