NHK adapts The Sniffer for Japan

Japan’s version of The Sniffer will air next year

Japanese pubcaster NHK has acquired a Ukrainian drama format for local adaptation.

The Sniffer was released in 2013, taking a 30% audience share when it premiered on Russia’s First Channel.

The original version has already aired in Japan and tells the story of a detective with a phenomenal sense of smell. Options for a remake have previously been picked up by French commercial channel TF1, while the original has sold to more than 60 countries.

Produced and distributed by Kiev-based Film.UA, the format will now be adapted by NHK for the Japanese audience.

Hans Canosa and Ash Nukui of Empathy Machines brokered the deal for Film.UA. Canosa, Nukui, John Baca of Artificial Intelligence Entertainment and Yan Fisher-Romanovsky of Fish/Corb Films will be producers on the show.

NHK will premiere it in 2016.