Global Showbiz Briefs: Discovery Networks, Animal Planet & ‘Killer Islands’; Sidse Babett Knudsen Set For ‘Duke Of Burgundy’; More
Discovery, Animal Planet Partner On ‘Killer Islands’
Discovery Networks International and Animal Planet have teamed up for Killer Islands (working title). The original six-part series, described as a natural history documentary with an investigative twist, follows wildfire expert Dave Salmoni as he sets out to solve some of the last big mysteries surrounding the world’s most successful natural-born killers. Killer Islands will premiere on Discovery Channel internationally in 224 countries and territories across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America beginning spring 2014, and on Animal Planet U.S. in the summer of 2014. Killer Islands is a co-production between DNI and Animal Planet U.S. and produced by Silverback Films.
Sidse Babett Knudsen Set For ‘Duke Of Burgundy’
Borgen star Sidse Babett Knudsen will make her English-language feature film debut in the lead role of Peter Strickland’s The Duke Of Burgundy. Knudsen will star opposite Chiara D’Anna in Rook Films’ dark melodrama. Shooting is set to begin in Hungary next month. Knudsen made her film debut in Jonas Elmer’s Let’s Get Lost in 1997, followed by Susanne Bier’s The One And Only, winning the Robert and Bodil Awards for best actress for both films. Other film credits include Bier’s Oscar-nominated After The Wedding and Charlotte Sieling’s Above The Street, Below the Water. The Duke Of Burgundy was co-developed and co-financed by Film4 and the BFI. International sales will be handled by Protagonist Pictures.
ITV Orders ‘Prey’ From Red Production
ITV has commissioned three-part drama Prey from Red Production Company starring John Simm. Written and created by Chris Lunt, Prey centers on Detective Constable Marcus Farrow (Simm), who goes on the run after he’s found at the scene of a brutal crime. We follow Farrow in his desperate search to find out the truth and clear his name for the sake of his family. Filming will begin in October in Manchester. Nick Murphy will direct and Tom Sherry will produce with Red Production founder Nicola Shindler as executive producer.
ITV2 Acquires Chuck Lorre’s ‘Mom’
British broadcaster ITV2 has acquired Chuck Lorre’s new comedy Mom along with free-to-air broadcast rights to the first ten series of Two And A Half Men. The first season is scheduled to air in 2014. Mom stars Anna Faris as a newly sober single mom who tries to pull her life together in Napa Valley. Allison Janney co-stars as Faris’ estranged mother. Mom is set to debut on CBS stateside this fall.
Related stories
Global Showbiz Briefs: Discovery Networks, Made In Qatar, ‘Master Class’
Deadline Global Showbiz Watch Podcast With Nancy Tartaglione, Episode 1
Get more from Deadline.com: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter
