France Télévisions lines up adaptation of Frank Thilliez thriller Il Était Deux Fois from Banijay copros

Il Était Deux Fois is being adapted in six parts

Public broadcaster France Télévisions has commissioned an adaptation of Frank Thilliez’s psychological thriller novel Il Était Deux Fois (Twice Upon a Time).

Coproduced by Banijay France’s scripted labels Marathon Studio and Terence Films, the six-part drama is created by Eric Delafosse and France Jacquet and directed by Florian Thomas and Valentin Vincent.

The plot focuses on a police captain searching for her missing daughter who wakes in a hotel room with a decade missing from her memory. The cast includes Odile Vuillemin, Hubert Delattre, Nicole Calfan and Rémi Devilla.

Malika Abdellaoui, CEO of Marathon Studio, said: “Following three years of development, we are proud to bring to the screen one of Frank Thilliez’s best-selling novels, Il Était Deux Fois. France Télévisions is a trusted partner for this breathless thriller about a mother, played by Odile Vuillemin, who will do anything to recover her memory and her missing daughter.”

Bertrand Cohen and Stéphane Meunier, co-CEOs of Terence Films, said: “Frank Thilliez is a master of the psychological thriller genre, known for his ability to weave intricate mysteries and develop complex characters. With nerve-racking twists, the series promises to be a mesmerising thriller and is a testament to our commitment to bringing compelling stories to life with an international appeal.”

Terence Films’ credits include Rivière-Perdue, the French adaptation of La Caza Monteperdido for TF1, and cop series OPJ for France Télévisions. It has also coproduced The Baker & the Beauty for TF1 with Marathon Studio.

Founded in 2021 by Abdellaoui, Marathon Studio focuses on original scripted content with both local and global appeal.