Intl. TV Newswire: New Toon in Oceania, ‘Aruanas’ Season 2, Formats Sell
By Jamie Lang
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In this week’s International Newswire “Cupcake & Dino” head down under, “Aruanas” gets a second season at Globo, South Africa’s VIA commissions local “Date in Reverse,” Channel 4 announced 20th anniversary special season for “Location, Location, Location” and Magnify announces a Swedish version of “Fittest Family.”
“Cupcake & Dino” Land in Australia, New Zealand
Entertainment One (eOne) announced that WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks has acquired pay-TV broadcast rights to Season 1 of animated kids’ series “Cupcake & Dino: General Services” in Australia and New Zealand. A co-production between Brazil’s Birdo Studios and eOne, the series was created by Brazilian cartoonist Pedro Eboli, and follows ambitious Cupcake and his big brother Dino as they work to build their own general services company. While the series is aimed primarily at kids 6-11, it has been a hit with adult audiences as well thanks to its off-the-wall humor and heartfelt relationships. Episodes will begin airing on Cartoon Network and Boomerang in July 2020.
Globo Renews “Aruanas,” Putting Pedal to Metal on High-Quality Social-Issue Drama Series
Brazilian TV giant Globo has confirmed production on Season 2 of “Aruanas,” a flagship title in its drive into high-quality drama series which can power up OTT business both on Globoplay, Globo’s SVOD service in Brazil and the U.S., and with global platforms elsewhere. A Globoplay original which presses all the right buttons as a female-centric eco thriller, Season 2 sees São Paulo NGO Aruana investigating the impact of the oil industry in a fictional city. Sleekly turned out, tense at times, and boasting premium scripted details – villains with a human side, stunning locations, mobile camerawork, a contemporary urgency – “Aruanas’” Season 2 announcement comes just days after Globo drilled down via co-showrunner and head writer Lucas Paraizo on first details of “Under Pressure” Season 4. The latest installment in Globo’s most successful recent social-issue international series, which has sold to 67 countries, “Under Pressure” portrayS a public hospital in Rio that only functions thanks to its medics’ extraordinary, heroic dedication. In Season 4, said Paraizo, with COVID-19, the hospital, its medics and Brazil’s healthcare system will collapse.
“Date in Reverse” Gets South African Commission
Afrikaans-language lifestyle network VIA in South Africa has commissioned a local version of Israeli unscripted dating program “Date in Reverse,” announced this week by ITV’s Armoza Formats. The series follows two single daters looking for love who experience key relationship milestones in a counter-chronological order. Starting in the marital bed, the couple go on to share a wedding reception, family get together and their first weekend getaway before deciding if they would like to embark on their “first date.” The original Israeli series was created by Volley Formats, Shenhar Productions Ltd. and Daniella Slavik.
Channel 4 Orders “Location, Location, Location” 20th Anniversary Season
Channel 4’s commissioning editor Deborah Dunnett has ordered an 18-episode season of “Location, Location, Location: 20 Years in the Making” (working title), from IWC, a Banijay Group Company, for the series’ twentieth anniversary. The program will include the popular stories from the past two decades of the program, painting a picture of social history through Britain’s housing market. Filming on the series has been pushed back in response to government restrictions on production, but IWC is looking forward to production as soon as conditions allow, according to a press statement. Each episode will be themed and include updated statistics which show big picture trends in homebuying over the past generation. Banijay Rights will distribute globally. SVT Commissions Swedish Production of Magnify’s “Fittest Family”
Magnify Hoping “Fittest Family” Works Out in Sweden
U.K.-based distributor Magnify Media has reported a sixth format deal for RTE’s Kite Entertainment-produced “Fittest Family” with Swedish broadcaster STV, to air in primetime, third quarter 2020. The new version will be produced by Jarowskij Productions and co-hosted by Swedish Olympic sprinter Susanna Kallur and sports host André Pops. Seven families will compete against one another to be named Sweden’s Strongest Family, based on physical strength as well as how well they work together and support one another. RTE also announced Season 8 of the program in its native Ireland, to be redesigned and updated to meet post Covid-19 safety standards.
