‘Death In Paradise’ Red Planet Ties with ‘Our House’s Louise Candlish

EXCLUSIVE: Paradise is Death producer Red Planet Pictures has struck a deal with ITV’s Our House Louise Candlish is an author and seeks work abroad with Asacha Media Group.

The company founded by lauded British screenwriter Tony Jordan, which also makes PBS Masterpiece/BritBox’s Sanditon, Is currently involved in a variety of projects, which are targeted at non UK buyers.

Candlish will work with Red Planet’s Our House exec Tom Mullens on TV drama ideas while Red Planet has optioned two further Candlish novels, 2016’s Swimming Pool A thriller coming soon Only Suspect Simon Ashdown will adapt the second.

The Candlish deal comes fresh off the back of the success of ITV’s adaptation of the Martin Compston-starring Our House, which was watched by more than 5M viewers per episode and is one of ITV’s biggest new dramas of this year.

Red Planet’s Joint Managing Director, Belinda Campbell and Alex Jones said that the company had a “really good relationship with and clear vision of how to develop Louise’s profile and capitalize on Our House’s success.”

“These are high-end shows within a popular drama framework – grabby ideas that can land,” Elle added. “Louise has such an incredible ability to find stories that feel resonant but with unique twists and turns.”

Jones referred to the Candlish agreement as a “great deal”. “really tough” Time is a precious commodity in the book options market. Behemoths are snapping up known IP left, right, and center. Red Planet was interviewed by Deadline last week about adaptations. The Day of the Jackal: Rebus Booker Prize and Booker Prize winners The Narrow Way to the Deep North Major producers have not revealed them all.

Candlish has not attached a network to its adaptations yet, however the company plans to take them to market soon and might be seeking investment outside the UK.

As Red Planet is looking for international income sources, there are many partnerships. Asacha has provided funding to supercharge the development and Red Planet now has access to labels on other European territory owned by Asacha.

“We don’t just want the UK as our default anchor,” Jones added. “It’s becoming very hard to make a program purely on domestic budgets so you either need to pre-sell, co-produce or find different ways of pulling financing together. Where we may have been slightly constrained cost-wise in the past, Asacha is helping us develop.”

Red Planet works in Canada, France and Poland. Campbell however stressed the importance of Britain. “remains a focus.”

Deadline also learned that the couple has acquired the rights. The Dark Pines Nordic Noir is a series that focuses on a modern Nordic Noir detective who is bisexual and deaf. Orphan black Amber Alexander and Aubrey Nealon, showrunners for a major adaptation which is nearing greenlight in Canada.

Both projects are evidence that Red Planet’s range is more varied than suggested by BBC One returning drama Paradise in Death the Caribbean-set smash that draws millions of viewers per week and has recorded almost 100 episodes, with a BBC/BritBox International-commissioned spin-off, Beyond Paradise, Kris Marshall is the main character.

“There is always a risk that we get pigeonholed and you don’t just want to be known as the company that does cosy crime,” Jones added. “What we like to say is that we produce drama that people like to watch. Death in Paradise has sold to 230 territories but I think it’s fair to say the projects we are pitching are very different.”

Red Planet also has a conversation with Jones and the streamers. “we have a lot of projects coming through that will make their way to those buyers.”

“You have to take the right package [to the SVoDs],” He concluded. “You can take a book and a writer to a terrestrial broadcaster but for an SVoD that’s not really enough.”

Elsewhere, Red Planet Founder Jordan, one of Britain’s best known screenwriters, is leading the company’s push into the MENA region.

Jordan was behind Shahid VIP Drama. Rashash and is working with former collaborator Pete Smith, who now runs Saudi Arabia’s MBC Studios.

“Tony’s sense is that he should always be doing what no one else is doing,” Campbell. “He wants to find new frontiers and get to places early. And he’s enormously influential.”

The company’s team has also expanded, with experienced execs Mullens and Caroline Skinner coming on board.

Latest News

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here