VRT picks up StudioCanal trio

Harlan Coben’s The Five was made for the UK’s Sky1

Belgian broadcaster VRT has picked up a package of dramas from StudioCanal including Midnight Sun and The Five.

Midnight Sun (Jour Polaire), which will premiere in early 2017 on VRT’s Canvas network, was ordered by French pay TV group Canal+ and Swedish broadcaster SVT in what is thought to have been the first drama coproduction agreement between the two countries.

The 8×52’ series is being produced by Atlantique Productions, Modern Times Group-owned Nice Drama and Filmpool Nord. The crime drama has been created by Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein, who were behind Bron/Broen, Underworld Awakening and Shelter, with the duo also set to direct all eight episodes.

Also on the slate is Harlan Coben’s thriller series The Five, made for Sky1 in the UK. The show, which marked the first original story for television from best-selling novelist Coben, was produced by Manchester-based Red Production Company (Happy Valley), which is owned by StudioCanal.

VRT has also added the third season of Crossing Lines, which is produced by Germany’s Tandem Productions and Bernero Productions in the US, and distributed by Studio Canal-backed Tandem.