In an example of the growing demand for local versions of U.S. network series, Disney Media Distribution announced on the first day of the MIPCOM market in Cannes that it has reached an agreement with the Kanal D broadcast network in Turkey to create a local version of its U.S series Revenge.
The Turkish version, which will be called Intikam, will launch on Kanal D, Turkey's biggest free to air network, in early 2013. The 22 episode order for season one will be co-produced by Kanal D and Disney.
The series will be filmed on location in Istanbul, using exteriors of water-front houses along the Bosphorus as the equivalent to the U.S. series' original setting of the Hamptons.
"Building on our successful Turkish production of ABC Studios' Desperate Housewives, and our recent announcement of Private Practice Turkey, we are excited to be working with Kanal D to bring to Turkey Revenge's universally appealing mix of suspense, opulence and seeing justice delivered," Giovanni Mastrangelo, GM, of emerging markets, Disney Media Distribution, said in a statement. "To complement the successful international sales of ABC Studios' U.S.-produced series, we are looking at one-off, tactical local market opportunities for the reversioning of these shows."
Also at the start of the market, Disney Media Distribution Latin America announced that it had sold the Mexican local version of ABC's Brothers & Sisters to Telemundo Media for broadcast in the U.S. and Puerto Rico.
The local adaptation will be based on the original version of the American series, created by Jon Robin Baitz and produced by ABC Studios.
Disney Media Distribution Latin America is in charge of production and writer Alberto Barrera is responsible for supervising the scripts.
Finally, the studio announced that it has partnered with pay TV provider ZON to launch its Disney Movies on Demand in Portugal. The service, which will offer ZON's subscribers a selection of some of Disney and Pixar movies, on demand, is the first Disney-branded SVOD movie service in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region.
"Launching a Disney-branded SVOD movie library service in Portugal will complement our existing movie agreements with other linear and non-linear broadcasters and platforms" said Simon Amselem, country manager and GM, The Walt Disney Company/Disney Media Distribution, Spain & Portugal in a statement.
The service is set to bow in November.
