ABC raids Austria, Spain for remakes

ORF’s Braunschlag is being adapted by ABC

ABC in the US is developing two shows based on Austrian and Spanish originals, including a comedy about a mayor who fakes an apparition to avert the bankruptcy of his village.

Braunschlag, from Austria’s ORF, is to be remade as a half-hour show, with Brian Gallivan (The McCarthys) writing the script and exec producing alongside Seth Gordon (The Goldbergs).

The untitled single-camera project will be produced by Sony TV and Tariq Jalil’s Intrigue after ABC secured rights for a script commitment plus significant penalty.

ABC’s version changes the gender of the main character, focusing on a female mayor who has dysfunctional siblings, a dying father, disgruntled citizens, a nearly bankrupt town and the mafia breathing down her neck. The only thing that saves her is a faked miracle. ORF Enterprises distributes the original.

Meanwhile, the US broadcaster has ordered a pilot script for a show based on Spanish format Motivos Personales after acquiring the rights from UK-based distributor New Media Vision.

The series was created by Carlos Vila and Javier Holgado for Boomerang TV and Telecinco Spain. It will be reworked in the US by Andy Stern and Calamity Jane Productions.

ABC Studios will produce, with Calamity Jane’s Ellen Pompeo (Grey’s Anatomy) and New Media Vision’s Todd Lituchy (The Mysteries of Laura) serving as executive producers.

The hour-long format focuses on a respected news anchor who sees her husband arrested for murder during the evening newscast and follows her attempts to prove his innocence.

It’s the latest success for NMV after it sold Spanish format Los Misterios de Laura to NBC, which remade the show as The Mysteries of Laura, which is now into its second season.