EXCLUSIVE: Forward of its world premiere tonight, the Zorro TV collection adaptation has landed a trio of European offers, as Mediawan Rights leans additional into big-ticket IP.

M6 Groupe in France, Mediaset in Italy, DPG Media’s TVM channels in Flemish-speaking Belgium and RTL Klub in Hungary have acquired the collection, which is a Secuoya Studios manufacturing for Amazon Prime Video within the U.S, Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Andorra. Different offers are in negotiations.

The ten-part collection premieres tonight on the Grand Auditorium within the Palais des Festivals, with the screening of the the long-lasting franchise’s reinterpretation adopted by a Q&A with actors Miguel Bernardeau (Elite), Renata Notni and Dalia Xiuhcoatl and executives together with Secuoya Studios’ Sergio Pizzolante.

Mediawan has been pushing into louder and costlier scripted IP over the previous few years, and has supercharged its efforts after putting a $100M+ funding cope with Entourage Ventures. “It’s not just the questions of the size of the catalog but the ambition,” mentioned Mediawan Rights Managing Director Valérie Vleeschhouwer

“The screening is a real chance to introduce Zorro to all the delegates,” she added. “It’s great exposure for the show.”

Secuoya Studios made Zorro for Amazon Prime Video within the U.S, Latin America, Spain, Portugal and Andorra in early 2024 with Mediawan Rights holding international distribution rights elsewhere. The brand new collection marks the display comeback of the swashbuckling hero after virtually 20 years, as written by Carlos Portela (Hierro, Velvet Assortment) and directed by Javier Quintas (Cash Heist), Jose Luis Alegría (Toy Boy) and Jorge Saavedra (Mr Smith and Mrs Wesson).

Set in 1834 Los Angeles, in opposition to the backdrop of an rising world during which totally different races attempt to dwell collectively, it follows a brand new model of Diego de la Vega, a landowner and, when in disguise, the masked hero of the folks. After the killing of the earlier Zorro, his father, de la Vega cuts brief research in Spain to return to California and avenge the dying.

Rising Mexican star Renata Notni (El Dragón: Return of a Warrior) performs Lolita Marquez, the love of Zorro’s youth, and Dalia Xiuhcoatl, Paco Tous, Emiliano Zurita and Joel Bosqued are additionally a part of the forged.

Zorro is government produced by John Gertz, founding father of Zorro Productions Inc. and producer on The Masks of Zorro and The Legend of Zorro films, alongside David Martínez, David Cotarelo, Pizzolante and Angela Agudo for Secuoya Studios, Andy Kaplan for KC International Media and Jesús Torres and Glenda Pacanins at NoStatusQuo Studios. Entourage Ventures is a financier.

Mediawan Rights is in Cannes with a catalog comprising new factual, dramas resembling French motion collection Machine and unscripted, however topping the slate is Zorro and one other retelling of a basic story, The Rely of Montecristo.

Tailored by Greg Latter from the Alexandre Dumas novel, the collection will star Sam Claflin (Daisy Jones & The Six) as a younger sailor wrongfully jailed for on the horrifying Château d’If island fortress, who finally escapes, assumes the persona of the Rely of Monte Cristo and plots his revenge on those that had him imprisoned. Pelle the Conqueror‘s Billie August is the director.

“We have started shooting this prestigious drama,” mentioned Vleeschhouwer. “It’s the exact model we want to have at Mediawan: It’s uUniversal and one of the most fantastic IPs you can have. Entourage is also partnering with us for it.”

Italy’s Palomar is producing the eight-part collection in collaboration with France’s DEMD Productions, in affiliation with Entourage Ventures. Pubcaster RAI and France Televisions are the commissioning networks in Italy and France, respectively.

“Our market is very dynamic,” mentioned Vleeschhouwer. “The production side is moving as the streaming landscape is changing and linear landscape is having tough times with viewing decreasing. It’s tense and complicated on the business side, which is more and more challenging, and people are more selective so we have to support content that will speak to the audience.”