EuropaCorp names US TV boss

Dirty Sexy Money producer Matthew Gross has been appointed president of the newly launched US-based TV division of French filmmaker Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp.

Gross takes up the role at EuropaCorp Television US with a remit to develop and produce shows, with the new arm also seeking coproduction opportunities. He will work alongside the company’s France-based TV execs Edouard de Vesinne and Thomas Anargyros.

Gross has worked with ABC Studios since 2003 on shows including Day Break and Body of Proof and was recently exec producer on History Channel’s miniseries Sons of Liberty.

EuropaCorp’s US move, which comes in the wake of similar ones by French prodcos Gaumont and StudioCanal, comes after the firm confirmed last week that it had secured a new US$450m credit facility to invest in English-language shows.

They will be distributed by RED, EuropaCorp’s joint venture with US-based Relativity Media.

EuropaCorp’s Paris-based TV operation, which was founded in 2010, has produced a variety of series to date, including Taxi Brooklyn which was picked up by NBC in the US, adventure series No Limit for French broadcaster TF1 and the troubled Transporter series.

Besson’s firm is also well known on the international film circuit for shows such as Taken 2 and I Love You Phillip Morris.