Mediaset Italia Acquires the Rights to Adapt the Hit Show ‘The Anthill’
Mediaset Italia has acquired the adaptation rights to the popular Spanish show ‘The Anthill’ (‘El Hormiguero’), aiming to develop an Italian version for the 2024/2025 season.
This agreement with Mediaset follows Onza Distribution‘s successful sale of the show’s ready made version to Estrella TV in the United States earlier this year. After several years of negotiations in Italy, Onza Distribution has finalized an agreement with Mediaset this month to adapt ‘The Anthill’ for the Italian market. This format has already been successfully adapted in several countries, including Brazil, Mexico, and Portugal.
‘The Anthill’ (‘El Hormiguero’) is the most successful prime time show in Spain, accumulating 18 seasons since its inception in 2006. Hosted by Pablo Motos, it airs on Antena 3 four times a week. The production company of ‘The Anthill,’ 7 y Acción, has also created other successful shows that are included in the Onza Distribution catalog. Among them are ‘The Celeb Challenge,’ prime time leader on Fridays with 4 seasons aired in Spain, and ‘The Way Home,’ a format recently acquired by Telefe Argentina. For its Italian version of ‘The Anthill,’ Mediaset is working on a weekly prime time broadcast on its channel Italia 1.
“At Onza Distribution, we are very excited to see one of our hit formats being adapted by such a prestigious channel with a strong commitment to entertainment production in Europe,” said Béatrice Nouh, Head of Sales at Onza Distribution. “This demonstrates the value of ‘The Anthill’ as a format, and we firmly believe this news can once again boost the format in the international market. We wish the future Italian version all the possible success!”
Onza Distribution announces new sales for documentaries ‘Young Addictions’ and ‘Real Madrid: The White Legend’, both produced by Onza. ‘Young Addictions’ (Adictos a la pantalla, 3×45’/1×52′), a documentary series portraying the reality of young people’s addictions to new technologies, has been acquired by ZDF in Germany, Al Jazeera for the pan-regional territory of MENA, Belgian channel RTBF, RTV
‘Allende The Thousand Days’ is a historical drama recollecting the last years of former Chilean president Salvador Allende and his political aim in the thousand days that his presidency lasted. The series represents an important testimony committed to democracy with the purpose of reinforcing historical memory.
Onza Distribution just received a triple nomination for its titles at the Platino Awards shortlist in the category of Best Ibero-American miniseries: ‘Allende The Thousand Days’ (4×60′), ‘Godless John’ (3×50′) and ‘Motel Valkirias’ (8×50′). Their cast has also received several nominations for Best Actor for Alfredo Castro (‘Allende The Thousand Days’) and for Marco Nanini (‘Godless John’); for Best Actress for Bianca Comparato (‘Allende The Thousand Days’), for Aline Küppenheim (‘Godless John’), and for Marina Mota (‘Motel Valkirias’); and for Best Supporting Actor for Daniel Alcaíno (‘Allende The Thousand Days’), and for Néstor Cantillana (‘Allende The Thousand Days’).
‘Allende The Thousand Days’ recollects the last three years of the life of former Chilean president Salvador Allende. Alfredo Castro (Salvador Allende) has already been a Platino Award winner in 2018 for his performance in ‘Los perros’, and so have co-stars Aline Küppenheim (Hortensia Bussi) and Néstor Cantillana (José Toa). The series is produced by Parox – who already received a Prix Europa Award for best miniseries for ‘Invisible Heroes’ in 2019 –, in association with Mediterráneo Media (Spain) and Aleph (Argentina) and premiered last September in Chile. The series had its international premiere in a screening at San Sebastian Film Festival and will be broadcasted by Spain’s RTVE very soon.
‘Godless John’ is a thriller following the life and events of two victims of the infamous João de Deus, the Brazilian self-proclaimed medium & physic surgeon convicted of sexual assault charges by more than 300 women. This Brazilian-Portuguese co-production, between Ventre Studio (100 Dias, Disney +; Shikun, Berlin International Film Festival 2024) and Coral Europa (Jacinta, TVI; Sequía, TVE & RTP; A Generala, SIC/OPTO, winner of the Silver laurel in the New York Festivals TV & Film Awards) was first broadcasted last October 2023 in TV channels Canal Brasil & Portugal’s TVI.
‘Motel Valkirias’ follows the woes and sorrows of three women fighting off the Mendoça mafia gang. Marina Mota, an actress also known for her roles in Quer o destino (International Emmy for best telenovela nominee in 2020) and Forever (also an International Emmy nominee for best telenovela and winner of the Venice TV award 2023 for best telenovela), has been nominated for best actress for her role as Carolina Cameiro. This co-production between CTV in Spain (O Sabor das Margaridas and Dalia, a modista, also distributed by Onza Distribution) & SPi in Portugal (Glória, 2021), in association with TVG (Spain) and RTP (Portugal), has won the CIRCOM Entertainment and Drama Award 2023. Following its free TV premiere, Motel Valkirias has been available on the HBO Max platform in Spain & Portugal since early 2023.
‘Teresa Battaglia is a strong character facing the biggest personal challenge of her life, struggling against the news of her Alzheimer diagnostic, while she keeps investigating murders. She´s brilliant, but for how long? This big question makes the series unique,’ adds Nouh about the series. ‘Flowers over the inferno is an amazing addition to our distribution slate, one more example that Southern Europe is a land of talent and creativity, and we are sure that this series can travel really well’.
‘Allende, the thousand days’ depicts the convulsive historical events that marked the three years of Salvador Ruiz (Alfredo Castro) as president of Chile. We see through the eyes of Manuel Ruiz, his young friend and advisor. The ambitious series was produced by Parox (‘Invisible Heroes’, ‘The Replacement’) in collaboration with Mediterraneo Media Entertainment, Aleph Media, 1010 Mente Colectiva and HD Argentina. ‘Allende, the thousand days’ (4×60′) premiered in Chile last September, with great acclaim among the public. The pilot episode, which was recently screened at the San Sebastian Film Festival, can be seen at Iberseries on Wednesday, October 4th, from 17:15 to 18:45, at the Sala Azcona in Madrid’s Matadero.
Likewise, Iberseries attendees will have the opportunity to watch the pilot episode of ‘Godless John’ at Sala Azcona at Matadero as well, on Thursday, October 5th, from 10:30 to 12:00, followed by a brief meeting and a cocktail party afterwards to which viewers will be kindly invited. The miniseries (3×60′) recounts the scandal behind the abuses committed by the renowned Brazilian healer João de Deus (Marco Nanini), through the testimony of two sisters (Bianca Comparato and Karine Teles). The Portugal-Brazil co-production by Ventre Studios, Canal Brasil, Coral Europa and TVI, directed by Marina Person, will premiere this year in Brazil, and Onza Distribution already holds the international distribution rights for this promising miniseries based on true events.
Another recently nominated title from Onza Distribution’s catalog is REAL MADRID, THE WHITE LEGEND (Real Madrid: La leyenda blanca). This documentary series has earned a nomination at the Venice TV Awards in the Sports category. Produced by Onza and Morrigan Films, the series captures the significant milestones and values that have turned Real Madrid Club de Fútbol into a legend, with broadcasting rights still available in multiple territories.
Onza Distribution has already begun its international distribution, along with many other new additions to their catalog. “We are thrilled to be distributing such a high-quality historical drama about one of the most prominent political figures of the 20th century; it is a great series that will leave no one indifferent,” commented Béatrice Nouh, director of sales. “I am a great admirer of Parox and its production quality. ‘Allende The Thousand Days’ is no exception in its excellent track record as a production company. It is an honor to have the opportunity to present a series that deals with one of the most important historical moments in Latin America which made an impact worldwide.”
“The great success that Crimes has achieved in Spain since the airing of its first episode has attracted the attention of many international buyers,” comments Carlos Garde, General Manager of Onza. “It is a true crime series that has succeeded due to its high production quality and the public’s interest in these stories. We have witnessed that it is an addictive show that captivates the viewer and keeps them on edge until the very end.”