Endemol Shine crowns Israel’s Queens in US

CONTENT LONDON: Endemol Shine North America has linked up with the production and distribution giant’s Israeli arm and Gal Gadot and Jaron Varsano’s Pilot Wave to adapt Israeli series Queens for the US.

Gal Gadot

Gadot and Varsano will serve as executive producers on the women-led drama, which was Israeli network Hot’s most-watched series in 2018 and is set to return for its second season in 2020.

The original series was created by Gal Zaid, Dani Rosenberg, Ruth Zaid and Dror Nobelman and is based on an idea by Limor Nahmias.

The Israeli version of Queens follows the women of the Malka family who must band together after all their men are murdered by a rival crime syndicate.

Executive producing alongside Gadot and Varsano will be Hot’s Nadav Hanin, Mirit Toovi and Guy Levy; Endemol Shine Israel’s Amir Ganor, Gal Zaid, Ruth Zaid; and Endemol Shine North America’s Sharon Levy and Lisa Fahrenholt.

The teams are currently packaging up the project and plan to take it to the marketplace at the beginning of next year.

Sharon Levy

“Queens is a complex piece about being female in our day and age, and all that goes with that, from a family, career and relationship perspective,” said Sharon Levy, Endemol Shine North America’s president, unscripted and scripted television.

“These complex characters are captivating, delightfully funny and emotional. It is rare to find content that conveys characters in such a truthful way while mirroring society,” said Gadot and Varsano in a joint statement.

Actor Gadot formed Pilot Wave with Varsano, her husband and producing partner, earlier this year.

The new show was announced as the second day of the International Drama Simmit at C21’s Content London event got underway this morning.