Monday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Sullivan’s Crossing to reach Brazil

Globoplay is bringing hit Canadian drama Sullivan’s Crossing to Brazil for the first time following a deal with Fremantle.

The Nova Scotia-set series, which will launch on the Brazilian streamer in March, debuted on Canada’s CTV in 2023 and is based on the novels by Robyn Carr, with showrunner Roma Roth adapting for TV.

The show follows a neurosurgeon who is forced to return to the small town she thought she had outgrown and face her estranged father.

Fremantle has sold the series to more than 180 territories to date, while a fourth season debuts on CTV and sibling streamer Crave this spring.

All3 strikes Barnicle Brothers pact

Documentary filmmakers Nick and Colin Barnicle have linked with All3Media to expand their US-based production firm, Barnicle Brothers.

The New York label was founded in 2010 and specialises in feature, sport and documentary stories, with shows such as Netflix’s 2021 hit This is a Robbery and American Godfathers: The Five Families for the History Channel. 

Last year, the company won the sports Emmy for Outstanding Documentary Series for The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox on Netflix.

Financial details have not been revealed but the brothers said the deal would “help us expand and enhance our future plans”. It marks the latest Stateside unscripted push for All3, which earlier this month revealed a deal with Inner Drive Entertainment and last year added MindMeld Entertainment to its roster.  

Blink Films lands doc with PBS, France TV, SBS

PBS in the US, France Télévisions and Australia’s SBS have linked up on a feature doc about the world’s oldest known temple from British factual indie Blink Films.

The coproduction explores Göbekli Tepe in southeastern Turkey and the emergence of new evidence that suggests it may be the world’s oldest known city, playing a key role in humankind leaving nomadic life to become settled farmers.

Göbekli Tepe: Mystery of the First Temple (1 x 90 minutes and 2 x 60 minutes) is being produced for PBS’s Nova strand and France TV, with SBS securing a presale.

It is directed by Simon Rawles, produced by Melisa Akdogan and Andrew Richens, with James Pope as head of development. Executive producers are Tom Adams and Dan Chambers. PBS Distribution is worldwide sales partner.

Shindler & Davies head to Series Mania

Tip Toe and It’s a Sin showrunner Russell T Davies and producer Nicola Shindler have been lined up for Series Mania in Lille in March.

The long-time collaborators will lead a Talent Masterclass at this year’s Series Mania Forum (24-26 March) where they will discuss Channel 4’s upcoming five-part drama, Tip Toe.

First-look clips will be featured alongside a discussion around the creative ambition of the show, which explores the most corrosive forces facing the LGBTQ+ community today.

Shindler, who won the third annual Woman in Series Award at the Forum in 2023, will join Davies for the masterclass on 25 March at 15:45 at the Lille Grand Palais.

MonsterQuest joins A+E’s expanding digital push 

A+E Global Media’s History brand is preparing to debut a new shortform series - MonsterQuest: Origins - on its YouTube channel.

The six-parter will launch new episodes weekly that unearth the real histories behind cryptid legends in the US, featuring apparent sightings of the Jersey Devil, Wendigo and La Llorona with the histories and fears that shaped them. It has been slated to debut Tuesday, 27 January.

The series, which is part of A+E’s strategy to deliver shareable digital content, joins previously released digital series Command Decisions: Presidents on the Brink, which is currently available to stream on History.com.