Netflix unveils Italian originals from Cattleya, Lux Vide as it opens Rome office

The opening of Netflix’s new premises in Rome

Netflix has commissioned more than a dozen Italian originals, including new titles from Cattleya, Moonage Pictures and Fremantle-owned Lux Vide, as it officially opens its outpost in Rome.

Newly commissioned scripted Italian originals include Inganno (working title), a thriller about the passionate and turbulent relationship between an older woman and a man half her age, from ITV Studios-backed prodco Cattleya. The project is based on the BBC thriller Gold Digger (Mainstreet Pictures), created and written by Marnie Dickens and distributed internationally by ITV Studios.

The streamer also ordered a series based on the novel Il Gattopardo (The Leopard), produced by Indiana Production and UK-based Moonage Pictures. Directed by Tom Shankland, the project is described as bringing a new “perspective to the story,” which chronicles changes in Sicilian life and society during the Risorgimento.

Lux Vide, which is 70% owned by Fremantle, is producing Netflix’s first Italian series for the festive season, I Hate Christmas. The comedy, about a young woman looking for love, stars Pilar Fogliatia.

Action-comedy series Lotto Gang (working title), produced by BIM Produzione and Feltrinelli Originals, is based on the true story of the biggest lottery scam in Italian history.

A currently untitled 6×30’ animated series comes from Zerocalcare, an Italian cartoonist and graphic novelist whose real name is Michele Rech. It is being produced by Movimenti Production and Bao Publishing.

“Today we celebrate our new Italian home, our growing business in Italy, the creative community we are so honoured to be part of, and all of the fantastic Italian stories on our upcoming slate,” said Netflix founder and co-CEO Reed Hastings, who was in Rome for an event making the opening of the new office, which has a staff of 70.

“The breadth and variety of our Italian slate perfectly represents our ambitions – new series, films, documentaries and unscripted shows from Italy’s most prestigious creatives and exciting new voices. Stories that are made in Italy and watched by the world.”

Also in attendance were Giovanni Bossetti, Netflix Italy non-fiction manager, and Sara Furio, Netflix’s director of international original film.

In addition, Netflix greenlit a trio of unscripted titles: crime docuseries Wanna (Fremantle Italy), which follows the TV success and eventual imprisonment of slimming-cream seller turned con artist Wanna Marchi; Running for the Truth: Alex Schwazer (Indigo Film), about the Italian race walker’s rise, fall and search for redemption; and Summer Job (Banijay Italia), which follows young men and women who have never held jobs before as they do their first work experience. The latter project, hosted by Matilde Gioli, marks Netflix’s first Italian original reality show.

Netflix ordered five feature films, including heist thriller Robbing Mussolini (Bibi Film), directed by Renato de Maria and starring Pietro Castellitto, Matilda De Angelis and Isabella Ferrari; action, survival and revenge film My Name is Vendetta (Colorado Film), written and directed by Cosimo Gomez; and Love & Gelato (HT Film), from writer-director Brandon Camp, about the adventures of a young American in search of her identity.

Also on the film front, the streamer commissioned Under the Amalfi Sun (Lucky Red), the sequel to Under the Riccione Sun, from director Martina Pastori; and drama Jumping from High Places (Lotus Film), inspired by the novel of the same name and directed by Andrea Jublin.

Netflix’s previously announced Italian projects include Lidia Poet, Brigands, The Lying Life of Adults, Tutto chiede salvezza, Di4ries, season two of Framed! A Sicilian Murder Mystery and season five of SKAM Italia.

Netflix has opened several international offices in recent months, including in Canada and Poland.