The BBC and Masterpiece adaptation of “Les Miserables” will play on a numerous international channels after a raft of deals were sealed for the series, which features Dominic West, David Oyelowo, and Lily Collins.
Andrew Davies’ adaptation of Victor Hugo’s classic has been acquired by broadcasters in Scandinavia and southern Europe, and by several buyers in Asia, ahead of its French premiere, Saturday, at the Series Mania drama festival in Lille.
The English-language series stars West as Jean Valjean, Oyelowo as Javert, and Collins as Fantine. A sizable cast also includes Olivia Colman, Adeel Akhtar, and Josh O’Connor.
Sweden’s SVT has acquired the show, as has its pubcaster counterparts NRK and YLE in Norway and Finland respectively. In Iberia, RTP has taken the Tom Shankland-directed drama for Portugal and Telefonica for Spain. Channel One has snapped up the series for Russia, and Cosmote for Greece.
BBC Studios distributes the series and did the international deals. It has sold the Lookout Point-produced drama to its own BBC First channels in Australia and the Benelux region. BBC First will also launch it in Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. Elsewhere in Asia, Catchplay has bought it for Taiwan.
“British producers have a well-earned reputation for turning classic literature into great television but Andrew Davies has rewritten the rules, crafting dramas that have stayed true to the original while speaking squarely to modern audiences,” said Paul Dempsey, president, global markets, BBC Studios. “He’s done it again with ‘Les Miserables.'”
