CANNES — Forging what could well be a fertile relationship, Studiocanal has sold North American SVOD rights on Canal Plus Creation Original “Vernon Subutex,” and “Pros and Cons,” from Denmark’s SAM Productions, to First Look Media’s Topic.
Targeting “culture cravers,” “an audience deeply involved in social, political and cultural issues of today,” general manger Ryan Chanatry told Variety, SVOD service Topic is scheduled to bow in the U.S. and Canada on Nov. 21.
On those grounds, with series are right up Topic’s alley. One of Canal Plus’ biggest new French plays for 2019, as it moves ever more into larger scale event series. Opening the 2nd Canneseries in April, and showrun by Cathy Verney (“Hard”), “Vernon Subutex” adapts a celebrated novel trilogy, by Virginie Despentes. The series casts Romain Duris, one of France’s biggest stars, in the titular role, first appearing in opening scenes. set way back in the 1980s, as a living legend, owner of a record shop worshipped for its tastes and its hard partying.
20, 30 years laters, his contacts have sold out. Only Vernon – still chain smoking, still listening obsessively to music – has stayed the course.
After a night drinking with rock star Alex Bleach, during which Bleach winds up dead of an overdose leaving behind in Vernon’s care three mysterious an possibly highly incriminating video tapes, Subutex suddenly becomes one of the more wanted men in Paris.
Less angry and more nostalgic than Despentes’ novels and fore fronting the question of how Vernon, a Peter Pan, can grow up without betraying his ideals, Verney told Variety, “Vernon Subutex” is a Tetra Media Studio / 27.11 Production.
Originally commissioned by Viaplay TV3 and produced by the award-winning SAM Productions, whose producers showran”Borgen” and “The Killing,” “Pros and Cons” stars Lars Ranthe and Lena Maria Christensen as a couple who, when young, in love, lived adrenaline-filled lives with partners in crime Jacqueline.,Then Nina becomes pregnant. They leave Jacqueline behind. Years later, in the suburbs of Copenhagen, with two kids, parent-teacher meetings and in the midst of their marital crisis, Jacqueline reappears and changes everything…tempting Nina and Erik with one final grand con.
“At Studiocanal, we are continuing to build strong partnerships with both new and existing broadcasters and platforms to extend the reach of our premium content around the world,” said Beatriz Campos, its head of international sales.
She went on: “We are delighted to have started a brand-new relationship with Topic, and are sure these high-quality dramas will appeal to their subscribers and look forward to working with them in the future.”
Chanatry added: “We’re thrilled to partner with Studiocanal to acquire the North American SVOD rights to Vernon Subutex and ‘Pros and Cons’ and to premiere these powerful dramas to audiences in the U.S. and Canada.”