Sequence Mania Patrons Upfront Unveils First Version Lineup

Erik Barmack’s “Fusion,” Sally Wainwright’s “Riot Ladies” and epic fantasy “Conflict of the Kingdoms” characteristic as potential highlights on the Sequence Mania Discussion board’s first Patrons Upfront, whose lineup was introduced Tuesday by Sequence Mania founder and director basic Laurence Herszberg.     

Kicking off with a Beta Brunch on March 24, the Patrons Upfront additionally options newest collection from ARD, ZDF Studios, Mediawan, Sidus, Beta Movie, Slot Machine, REinvent and Bande à Half Movies – making for a mouthwatering prospect. 

The Upfront additionally underscores two tendencies: a transfer into English-language manufacturing which has bigger U.S. streamer gross sales prospects; an more and more enticing financing mannequin, a minimum of for selectively produced foreign-language exhibits, primarily based on tying down companions and pre-sales amongst native broadcasters in Europe fairly than ready for at the moment extremely difficult  U.S. take care of a streamer.  

A part of producer-distributor Erik Barmack’s drive at Wild Sheep Content material into “high expertise from smaller international locations,” “Fusion” marks the primary venture to enter manufacturing from new Icelandic manufacturing powerhouse ACT4. It’s co-created and written by main Icelandic TV collection producer Hörður Rúnarsson (“As Lengthy As We Dwell,” “Black Sands”).Wild Sheep is backed by The Mediapro Studio. 

The most recent from Wainright, (“Joyful Valley,” “Final Tango in Halifax,” “Gentleman Jack”), certain for BBC and Britbox within the U.S. and Canada, “Riot Lady” is produced by the U.Ok.’s Drama Republic (“Physician Foster”) a Mediawan firm.

Additionally within the combine: “Conflict of the Kingdoms,” produced by German powerhouse Constantin, an epic medieval fantasy reimagining of heroic legend “The Track of the Nibelungs.” Weighing in at round €45 million ($47.25 million), it’s the greatest budgeted German manufacturing ever.

“The Sequence Mania Patrons Upfront is an unique occasion for top-tier patrons, showcasing unique 12-minute first look screenings from ten eagerly awaited collection that have robust international attraction,” stated Herszberg. “From the outset, our objective with this new occasion has been to present unparalleled entry to our patrons in addition to assist facilitate networking alternatives with the main distributors behind these collection,” she added.

“This new occasion marks the start of a really new chapter within the historical past of Sequence Mania Discussion board. From creation to worldwide distribution, we’re additional solidifying our place because the must-attend occasion of the spring for the scripted group.,” famous Francesco Capurro, director of the Sequence Mania Discussion board.

A quick drill-down on the titles:

“Harmful Reality,” (“Das zweite Attentat”)

Nation: Germany

Worldwide Gross sales: OneGate Media 

Manufacturing Firm: Eikon Media, Deal Productions

Format: 6 episodes x 45 minutes

Style: Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2024

Residing for 20 years in Athens underneath a Federal Legal Police Workplace (BKA) safety program, Alexander Jaromin begins a determined and harmful search to uncover the reality of his father’s loss of life. Co-helmed by “The Swarm” and “Concordia” director Barbara Eder, a political thriller backed by highly effective German companions, public broadcaster ARD and business arm ARD Degeto and hole financier Bravado Media. An ARD gross sales subsid, OneGate Media, serves as international distributor.  

“The Danish Lady” (“Danska Konan”)

Nation: Iceland

Worldwide Gross sales: The Celebration Movie Gross sales

Manufacturing Firm: Slot Machine

Format: 6 episodes x 47 minutes

Style: Drama, Comedy

Yr of manufacturing: 2025

Toplining Trine Dyrholm, star of Oscar-nominated “The Woman with the Needle,” as a retired Danish Secret Service agent, dwelling a quiet life in Reykjavik who can’t cease her deep sense of justice from serving to her neighbors, whether or not they need or not. A buzz collection additionally chosen for Sequence Mania’s Worldwide Panorama, from Benedikt Erlingsson (“Lady at Conflict,” “Of Horses and Males”) produced by Slot Machine (“Dancer within the Darkish, “Melancholia”).

“The Deal”

Nation: Switzerland, France, Luxembourg, Belgium

Worldwide Gross sales: Gaumont

Manufacturing Firm: Bande à Half Movies, Les Movies Pelleas, Gaumont Télévision, Bidibul Productions, Versus Manufacturing

Format: 6 episodes x 46 minutes

Style: Drama, Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2024

Swiss diplomat Alexandra Weiss hosts final probability nuclear talks between the U.S. and Iran, as her former love, threatened Iranian engineer Payam, seems, threatening her stance of famed Swiss neutrality. Veerle Baetens, Juliet Stevenson, Anthony Azizi star; high Swiss manufacturing home Bande à Half Movies (“Sister,” “Canine on Trial,” “Protected Home”) lead produces.

“Escaping Bolivia,” (“Flukten fra Bolivia”)

Nation: Norway

Worldwide Gross sales: REinvent Worldwide Gross sales

Manufacturing Firm: Fenomen TV, 4 1/2 FILM

Format: 6 episodes x 44 minutes

Style: Drama, Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2025

Ella Øverbye, star of Dag Johan Haugerud’s Berlin 2025 Golden Bear winner “Desires” and Jakob Oftebro (“1864”) topline the real-life thriller, impressed by the incarceration in Bolivia of three Norwegian ladies for drug trafficking in 2008. Two plan escape. Anna Gutto, behind Lionsgate’s “Paradise Freeway” starring Juliette Binoche, serves as idea director, alongside creator-episodic director Emilie Beck, hooked up to Netflix’s “Royalteen.”

“Fusion,” (“Reykjavic Fusion”)

Nation: Iceland

Worldwide Gross sales: The Mediapro Studio Distribution, Wild Sheep Content material

Manufacturing Firm: Act4

Format: 6 episodes x 52 minutes

Style: Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2024

Co-produced by Arte in France and Germany, pre-sold to AMC Iberia for Spain and Portugal and with public broadcaster YLE for Finland  and described as “Breaking Unhealthy” meets “The Bear,” “Fusion” has Darri taking part in gifted chef Jónas, falsely imprisoned, now out and making an attempt to regain his household’s belief. Ostracized, he accepts illicit funds to open a restaurant, plunging him into cash laundering and debt, jeopardizing his parole, life, and family members. 

“Puzzle Woman,” 

Nation: U.Ok.

Worldwide Gross sales: ZDF Studios

Manufacturing Firm: December FilmsFormat: 6 episodes x 60 minutes

Style: Comedy, Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2025

A “compelling, cosy crime drama,” has stated Paul Testar on the Paramount-owned U.Ok. channel Channel 5. In it, after an odd homicide takes place in sleepy market city Bakerbury, the police are baffled by a crossword puzzle clue left on the physique. Happily, famed cruciverbalist Cora Felton (“Downton Abbey’s” Phyllis Logan ) has simply moved to city. PBS-bound within the U.S. with ZDF Studios promoting non-U.S. 

“Riot Ladies,” 

Nation: U.Ok.

Worldwide Gross sales: Mediawan Rights

Manufacturing Firm: Drama Republic Restricted

Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes

Style: Drama

“5 not so younger ladies create a makeshift punk-rock band with the intention to enter a neighborhood expertise contest. Writing their first authentic music, nevertheless, they quickly uncover that they’ve a  lot to say, as they juggle demanding jobs, grown-up youngsters, sophisticated mother and father, husbands who’ve buggered off.” A synopsis with a particular Wainright taste for a possible lineup spotlight.

“S Line”

Nation: South Korea

Worldwide Gross sales: Sidus

Manufacturing Firm: Sidus

Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes

Style: Thriller, Science fiction

Yr of manufacturing: 2024

Hyun-heup sees the S Line, a pink thread linking individuals who had previously had a relationship. She groups with Detective Han Ji-wook to analyze the S Line, after a good friend falls into coma utilizing sinister glasses to see the Line. From Sidus, behind “Dr. Park’s Clinic” launched on SVOD service Tving.

“Shadow Leaks,”  (Schattenseite)

Nation: Germany

Worldwide Gross sales: Beta Movie

Manufacturing Firm: Dreamtool Leisure for ARD Degeto Movie, funk, and Hessischer

Rundfunk, with funding from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.

Format: 6 episodes x 45 minutes

Style: YA Thriller

Yr of manufacturing: 2024/2025

A second ARD collection within the Upfront. At her new high-school, Nola investigates a ShadowPage web site which reveals the scholars most intimate secrets and techniques, whose creator is blackmailing her. She additionally tries to search out out what the S Line has to do with a pupil’s latest loss of life. Created by Jonas Ems (“Toxisch”) and Hanna Hribar (“Mistaken”), primarily based on Ems’ bestseller and backed by ARD Degeto Movie and one other play by Beta Movie for YA auds, seen in “Wild Republic” and “The Sea Past.” 

“Conflict of the Kingdoms”

Nation: Germany

Worldwide Gross sales: Fremantle

Manufacturing Firm: Constantin Tv

Format: 6 episodes x 60 minutes

Style: Drama

Yr of manufacturing: 2024

Reimagining “The Track of the Nibelungs,” an inspiration behind “Lord of the Rings” and “Recreation of Thrones, “Conflict of the Kingdoms” activates Hagen, a soldier and Lord Commander prepared to face by his King however secretly deeply in forbidden love with Princess Kriemhild. “The thought is, first, creating a brand new world and a brand new IP. And, second, when you’re going right into a style like this, the stakes and the expectations are very excessive, so that you want a excessive funds,” Constantin Movie head Oliver Berben has advised Selection.