This Week: WBD’s Epstein Doc, Netflix-AMC’s Historic Co-Pro, A24-BBC’s “Ministry of Time,” Gaumont’s Venice Pre-Sales, and the Global Slate in Motion

Major shifts are redefining the media landscape this week.

Big co-pro moves, big IP bets: Netflix-AMC go historic with Shane Black, A24 brings “Ministry of Time” to the BBC, and Gaumont locks Venice pre-sales before the festival even opens.

Curious who else made moves this week — and where the money’s flowing?

Ask VIQI.

UK broadcaster BBC and US studio A24 have commissioned a six-part television drama series format adaptation of Kaliane Bradley’s novel ‘The Ministry of Time’. Scripted by Alice Birch, the production stars Aoife Hinds and Billy Howle. A24 serves as the producer and handles international distribution for the project. (UK/USA)

BBC Studios has expanded the global reach of its comedy entertainment format Nation’s Dumbest to ten international territories through new local adaptation deals in Spain with Antena 3 and in Lithuania with TV3. Originally created by Montreux Film and Fjernsyn, the game show format features celebrities competing in logical and physical challenges where the goal is to be eliminated as quickly as possible to avoid being crowned the ultimate loser. The newly commissioned versions will be produced by Brutal Media in Spain and TV3 Studios in Lithuania. (UK, Spain, Lithuania)

Banijay UK production company Electric Robin partnered with Vinted and WPP Media to launch ‘Live Better for Less’, a pan-European lifestyle format across seven markets. Hosts like Juan Avellaneda in Spain and Motsi Mabuse in the UK guide families to declutter, reuse belongings, and identify hidden value in their homes. (UK)

Channel 4 commissioned a second series of the social experiment reality show ‘Handcuffed: Last Pair Standing’, produced by 72 Films (a Fremantle company). Hosted by Jonathan Ross, the format handcuffs pairs of strangers with opposing lifestyles and views together 24/7 as they compete for a £100,000 cash prize. (UK)

Netflix confirmed the production of its upcoming Korean action-noir series ‘The Shooter’, starring Lee Jung-eun and Kim Moo-yul alongside Heo Joon-ho. Directed by Lee Kwon, the plot centers on a woman in her seventies who returns to using firearms after her grandson suffers a violent attack. (USA)

European broadcasters ZDF and Arte have partnered to co-produce the Croatian crime drama series ‘Red Water’, directed by Cannes prizewinner Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic. International distribution, co-production management, and world sales for the upcoming mystery project are handled by Munich-based Beta Film. (Germany)

Dubai-based distributor Phars Film has acquired the overseas distribution rights for the upcoming Indian period action-drama Fauzi, starring Prabhas and directed by Hanu Raghavapudi. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, the film is scheduled for a grand worldwide theatrical release on December 3, 2026, with international premiere screenings set to launch a day earlier on December 2. (India, UAE)

French studio Gaumont has secured major territory pre-sales for Stéphane Brizé’s corporate workplace drama A Good Little Soldier (Un bon petit soldat). Starring Alba Rohrwacher and Vincent Lindon, the film has been acquired by Palace Films (Australia), Xenix (Switzerland), BTeam Pictures (Spain), Rosebud (Greece), I Wonder Pictures (Italy), Cinéart (Benelux), Alambique (Portugal), MCF (former Yugoslavia), and Mars Film (Turkey) ahead of its Venice Competition debut and North American premiere at TIFF. (France)

Finnish distributor Rabbit Films has acquired worldwide sales rights (excluding Finland and Estonia) to the psychological thriller series Healer (Parantaja, 6×45′). Produced by Fire Monkey for Finnish streamer Elisa Viihde and created by Laura Suhonen, the series follows a disgraced surgeon who seeks refuge on an isolated island, only to get drawn into a charismatic wellness guru’s dangerous world; Rabbit Films is representing both the finished tape and the format rights. (Finland)

Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired international rights to Diabolical: The Epstein Files, a 90-minute true crime documentary produced and distributed by Australia’s ABC. Scheduled to roll out internationally on HBO Max starting September 3, the film examines the network, downfall, and systemic failures surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, with exclusive SVOD windows across the UK, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey, Israel, and additional European and regional territories. (US, Australia)

Czech public broadcaster Česká Televize has acquired PIN, a French-Canadian educational animated series (50×3′) produced by Quebec-based Productions Mustang, for its VOD platform ČT Edu with a launch set for September 1. International distributor HG Distribution also secured additional European deals, selling science documentary Anomaly Detection (1×70′) to France’s Mediawan Thematics for Science & Vie TV and the second season of adventure series Expedition Kayak (20×60′) for its Trek channel. (Czech Republic, Canada, France)

Dynamic Television has secured international sales across Europe, Australia, and the MENA region for the first season of the murder-mystery series You’re Killing Me, starring Brooke Shields. The 6×60′ drama—co-produced by Shaftesbury and Topsail Entertainment and recently renewed by Acorn TV for a second 6×30′ season—has been acquired by UKTV (UK/Ireland), BBC Channels (Netherlands, Poland, Africa), Stan (Australia), Disney (Bulgaria/Balkans), HRT (Croatia), TV2 (Norway), Play Media (Belgium), OTE (Greece), and MBC (MENA). (US, Canada)

Netflix and AMC Studios have entered into a historic joint co-production partnership to produce original series, kicking off with the greenlight of the spy drama Bannerman. Based on John R. Maxim’s novel series and showrun by Craig Silverstein, the project marks filmmaker Shane Black’s television directing debut, with AMC Studios acting as lead studio on a rollout plan that includes linear AMC premieres in the US/Canada, 90-day post-finale windows on Netflix, joint day-and-date debuts in select markets, and exclusive global streaming across all other territories. (US)

Canal+ Distribution has expanded the reach of its Kanal D Drama network in Mexico through carriage agreements with major pay-TV operators izzi and Sky Mexico. Reaching over five million subscriber households, the Spanish-dubbed Turkish drama channel is now available on channel 225 of izzi’s izzi tv+ packages and channel 1225 on Sky Mexico, bolstering the platform’s international content offerings to meet local demand for Turkish melodramas. (Mexico)

Ex-Sphere Media president Marlo Miazga has launched M Media, a Canada-based IP production company focused on developing unscripted and scripted projects across TV and film. The new indie debuts with the feature documentary Ground Control, a CBC-commissioned project directed by Chase Joynt that explores the tragic loss of Miazga’s teenage child, with international distribution rights currently available. (Canada)

UK factual producer Rogan Productions has launched Rogan South Africa, establishing its first permanent international production base in Johannesburg with ties to Cape Town. Following its recent Showmax Original release Original Sin: My Son the Killer, the expansion comes alongside a leadership restructuring that elevates founders James and Soleta Rogan to Co-CEOs. (UK, South Africa)

Former Banijay executive Carlotta Rossi Spencer has launched Impeto Media, a London- and Milan-based advisory firm focused on business development across traditional entertainment, branded content, digital creators, and emerging fields like bioscience. The launch follows her departure from Banijay, where she previously served as head of format acquisitions before establishing and leading the company’s dedicated branded entertainment division. (UK, Italy)

Ex-Sphere Media president Marlo Miazga has launched M Media, a Canada-based IP production company focused on developing unscripted and scripted projects across TV and film. The new indie debuts with the feature documentary Ground Control, a CBC-commissioned project directed by Chase Joynt that explores the tragic loss of Miazga’s teenage child, with international distribution rights currently available. (Canada)