EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has dipped into the acquisitions market for European drama series The Crimson Rivers.
The licensing deal with ZDF Studios is for all four seasons of the show, comprising 32 episodes in total, for French-speaking territories and Belgium. On June 11, the series will launch on Max in France and HBO Max in Belgium. This comes after WBD on May 21 began rolling out the Max brand in Europe, phasing out HBO Max over time.
Set in a macabre world of gruesome criminal cases, sadistic killers, creepy rituals and mysterious incidents, The Crimson Rivers follows Detective Pierre Niémans and his new partner, Camille Delauney, as they investigate a series of bizarre crimes in remote regions of France. The shocking brutality of the cases, steeped in regional myths and forgotten customs, are far beyond the capacity of the local police departments.
Olivier Marchal, a former police officer and the creator of French crime drama Braquo, plays Niémans. Erika Sainte (Je Suis Resté dans les Bois) plays Delauney.
The series based on the best-selling novel of the same name from author Jean-Christophe Grangé, who also penned the Crimson River feature film adaptations including the box-office hit starring Jean Reno, leads the creative. Jean-Christophe Grangé, Alin Michel and David Neiss are the writers.
Storia Television made the show in co-production with Maze Pictures for France Télévisions and German pubcaster ZDF, in co-operation with ZDF Studios. NBC Universal, TV3 in Russia, Radio-Canada, SBS and Walter Presents parent GSN are among those to have acquired it since its launch in 2017.
Mirela Nastase, Director of Drama at ZDF Studios, said: “The Crimson Rivers is an exceptional thriller with its mystical touch. I’m delighted that Warner Bros. Discovery viewers will get an opportunity to watch this intriguing drama that touches on French history and beliefs grounded in local culture.”
