‘Gomorrah’ Writers To Adapt David Szalay Novel ‘Turbulence’
Gomorrah and ZeroZeroZero writers Leonardo Fasoli and Maddelena Ravagli has been tapped to adapt Man Booker-shortlisted novel Turbulence into a TV series with Envision Entertainment. The book, from David Szalay, comprises interconnected stories that follow 12 protagonists as they fly from country to country while enduring both real and emotional turbulence. Each episode will start and end in London. “We see Turbulence as a once in a lifetime prestige project which can introduce the best local talent to truly global audiences, an astonishing accomplishment in the era of streaming,” said Envision founder and CEO Michael Nakan. Fasoli and Ravagli are working on The Kollective, a TV adaptation of the Bellingcat journalism saga for The European Alliance.
Josh Scherba Named WildBrain Boss
Josh Scherba has been named President CEO of Canadian kids firm WildBrain, as Eric Ellenbogen steps down. The long-serving Scherba was been President since 2018 but joined the company on its founding in 2006, then it was known as DHX Media. Industry veteran Ellenbogen has been Vice Chair and CEO since August 2019. Jim Fielding, WildBrain’s Chief Marketing and Brands Officer, has been appointed Strategic Advisor to Scherba and the board of directors. WildBrain owns properties such as Teletubbies, Peanuts and Degrassi and produces shows titles as The Snoopy Show, Sonic Prime, Strawberry Shortcake: Berry in the Big City and Carmen Sandiego from its studio in Vancouver. It also runs Canadian kids channels, has a significant AVOD YouTube business and sells content and merchandize.
Buyers Swoop For Jewish Spinster Comedy
A New Zealand comedy about a Jewish ‘spinster’ has sold to ITVX, Canada’s CBC and Israel’s Hot. Kid Sister follows Lulu, a young woman in he prime deemed to be nearing ‘spinsterhood’ by her orthodox family who finds out she’s having a baby with on-again, off-again non-Jewish boyfriend Ollie. The deals with the UK, Canadian and Israeli networks were brokered by distributor Red Arrow Studios International. Meanwhile, Red Arrow has struck deals with networks in the Benelux and Iceland for Those Who Stayed, the Ukrainian anthology series that entered production several weeks ago, while Swedish and Portuguese buyers have swooped for Red Arrow’s Vienna Blood.