Weinstein to build Gomorra in US

MIPTV: The Weinstein Company (TWC) has picked up US rights to Sky Italia’s forthcoming crime drama Gomorra from Germany’s Beta Film.

The 12×52’ series is coproduced by Sky Cinema, Cattleya, Fandango, La7 and Beta Film and is directed by Stefano Sollima (Romanzo Criminale), Claudio Cupellini and Francesca Comencini. The cast includes Marco D’Amore, Fortunato Cerlino and Maria Pia Calzone.

Adapted from Roberto Saviano’s book Gomorra, about Neapolitan crime organisation the Camorra, the drama follows the right-hand man of a clan godfather and the ruthless war to control the underworld.

Harvey Weinstein, TWC’s co-chairman, said Gomorra was “a project that caught our eye a while back for its world-class acting talent, as well as Stefano Sollima’s phenomenal abilities to craft a thriller like no other.”

The drama has so far been presold to France’s Canal+, Sky Germany, HBO Nordic in Scandinavia, HBO Latin America, Arrow Film in the UK and Lumiere in the Netherlands.

Andrea Scrosati, Sky Italia’s exec VP of programming, said the show was part of the broadcaster’s effort to offer innovative programming to subscribers, exploring “groundbreaking and unconventional stories.”

“Thanks to our international partners, Gomorra will be available for such a wide international audience after its debut on our newly launched channel Sky Atlantic,” he said.

The drama is due to launch in 2015.