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A&E pens drama trio

A&E Network in the US is lining up three scripted dramas – one a prequel to Alfred Hitchcock classic Psycho, and another a Danish format.

Bates Motel promises viewers “an intimate understanding of how Norman Bates’ psyche developed from his childhood through his teen years.”

Scripts for the series, produced by Universal Television, are currently in development, written by Anthony Cipriano.

Those Who Kill is a Danish serial killer crime format based on the work of author Elsebeth Egholm. Imagine Television and Fox 21 will produce the US version for A&E, with Glen Morgan onboard as scriptwriter.

NATPE 2012The third project is Longmire, which has already received a series order. Production will begin in March on the 10-episode contemporary crime thriller from Warner Horizon Television.

Based on the Walt Longmire Mystery novels by Craig Johnson, the series stars Robert Taylor (The Matrix), Katee Sackhoff (Battlestar Gallactica) and Lou Diamond Phillips (Numb3rs). It tells the story of a recently widowed sheriff and his attempts to turn his life around. Longmire is due to air on A&E this summer.

Hunt Baldwin and John Coveny (The Closer, Trust Me) wrote the project and will exec produce along with Greer Shephard and Michael M. Robin (The Closer, Nip/Tuck).

Factual-focused A&E’s expansion into drama comes as parent A+E Networks attempts to turn the channel into one comprised by “100% original” programming. President Bob DiBitetto explained the strategy recently in this C21TV interview.

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