Televisa, Bellum commit to crime copro

Televisa USA has signed its second coproduction deal within a week, partnering with Bellum Entertainment on a crime docuseries.

Deep Undercover is the first series in a programming collaboration that will eventually encompass multiple projects, the companies said today.

The news follows Televisa USA, a subsidiary of Mexican media giant Grupo Televisa, pairing with US cablenet Starz on an original drama based on supernatural telenovela El Maleficio earlier this month.

Deep Undercover (52×30′) will be executive produced and hosted by former undercover agent Joe Pistone and is aimed at US cable, syndication and international markets. It will be unveiled for sale for the first time at Natpe in Miami next week.

Pistone will chronicle the stories of former undercover agents in the throes of the most famous cases from the underworld.

It continues Televisa USA’s push into English-language programming over the past year under head of production and distribution Chris Philip.

Aztecs, from showrunner Michael Chernuchin and Atalaya Productions, and Duality, starring Dougray Scott, are also on the company’s slate.

The series joins Bellum’s recent true-crime docudrama Corrupt Crimes, which launched last year with the Sinclair Broadcasting group.