Wednesday round-up: Latest news, deals & hires

Severance star & Kari Skogland prep ZDF drama

Germany's ZDF and ZDF Studios are partnering with Severance star Ólafur Darri Ólafsson's Icelandic label ACT4 on a six-part English-language drama, with The Handmaid's Tale's Kari Skogland set to direct. Ólafsson has written the show, which is adapted from Skúli Sigurðsson's novel Stóri Bróðir.

The story follows a journalist who is approached by a self-styled vigilante seeking to expose his violent campaign against sexual predators. However, she soon begins to suspect he actually wants revenge, with the show exploring if violence is justified when justice fails.

Vigilant starts production in Iceland on 29 October and is being co-produced by ZDF and ZDFS, with the latter overseeing distribution outside the US. LA-based Zero Gravity handles Stateside sales. Víkingur Kristjánsson, Anita Briem, Teitur Magnússon and Anna Gunndís Guðmundsdóttir are co-writers.

ACT4 and ZDF recently worked together on upcoming Icelandic crime drama Death of a Horse, commissioned by RÚV and ZDF as part of the New8 public broadcaster alliance.

LOL's US remake to be hosted by Nick Kroll 

Amazon MGM Studios has tapped Nick Kroll to host the US edition of LOL: Last One Laughing.

The comedy variety series will stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide, and is being produced by Fulwell Entertainment.

Kroll will also be an executive producer on the series, which is adapted from Japan's Documental, owned by Yoshimoto Kogyo. The format has already been remade aorund the world by Prime Video, including in the UK, Ireland, Canada, Mexico, France and Australia.

Executive Producers are Ben Winston, Emma Conway, and Eric Pankowski, who will also serve as showrunner. Kroll and Good At Business also executive produce.

A24 alum joins Magna Studios

Oasis: Don’t Look Back In Anger producer Magna Studios has hired former A24 head of documentary Nicole Stott for its non-fiction team.

Stott joins the division as executive producer and will work closely with Oliver Calleja, senior vice-president of non-fiction, and Louis Mole, creative director, and the wider team on the company’s documentary features and limited series.

A seasoned documentary creative, she has held senior creative leadership roles across the US and UK TV and film industries. She most recently served as A24’s documentary boss, leading and restructuring the non-fiction unit across LA and New York. Her credits there include series The Yogurt Shop Murders and Monsters of God (both for HBO), and feature films Nuisance Bear and Look Into My Eyes. Read more

Sony LIV joins Prime Video in India

Prime Video has agreed a deal in India that will see streamer Sony LIV becoming available to customers as an add-on subscription.

The streamer will cost ₹399 (£3.20) a month or ₹1,499 a year and offers more than 450 movies and 300 shows, as well as live sports.

Offerings include the UEFA Champions League, the French Open and India’s cricket tour of New Zealand, as well as originals such as Hindi comedy Gullak and Indian Idol.