‘A Woman of Substance,’  ‘Peaky Blinders’

A big U.K. trio – “A Woman of Substance,” Jack Thorne’s “Falling” and Richard Gadd “Half Man” – plus “Wallander” with Gustaf Skarsgård and “Peaky Blinders,” both the upcoming series and “Immortal Man” movie spinoff, head a powerhouse Banijay Entertainment global scripted slate for Series Mania which is not just a lineup but also a statement of intent, range, scale and, indeed, success.  

“Banijay Entertainment’s creative community is shaping culture and delivering unmissable scripted content for partners and audiences across all platforms,” said Steve Matthews, head of scripted, creative and Johannes Jensen, head of scripted, business at Banijay Entertainment in a joint statement. 

“Unmissable” is often a hype word. Here, it’s noticeable how many of Banijay’s Series Mania titles have already proved big hits.  

At Series Mania in Lille, northern France, Banijay will be looking to leverage the U.K. audience traction of “A Woman of Substance’s” big bow – an Episode 1 overnight audience of 1.42 million on March 11, making it the most viewed Channel 4 drama premiere since “Before We Die” in 2021, The Guardian has just called the series Episode 2 part of a “wonderful period drama.” 

“Montmartre,” from France’s Authentic Prod, bowing Sept. 25 on TF1 to standout 20%+ shares; “My Brother,” ran up 1.5 million views in its early going on Swedish public broadcaster SVT; “Anatomy of a Moment,” a second Series Mania main competition contender from a Banijay production house, gave Spanish pay TV/SVOD service Movistar Plus+ the biggest bow of any Movistar Plus+ Original in history. The industry would be shocked if “Peaky Blinder: the Immortal Man” doesn’t rank high in Netflix’s new movie Top 10 when it is published on Tuesday.    

“With all eyes on European drama at Series Mania, this line-up is a snapshot of the energy and ambition our scripted labels foster,” said Matthews and Jensen. That is clear is the number of Banijay titles selected this year for Series Mania – five, which may be some sort of Banijay record – Europe’s biggest TV festival which was born off the lift-off of premium TV production in the U.S. on HBO, and still, will not select titles unless they sport some sort of artistic ambition. 

A quick drill-down on the range four first-run titles – Swedish domestic abuse trauma drama “My Brother,” Spanish character-driven historical chronicle “Anatomy,” both in main competition; Jewish writer Etty Hillesum portrait “Etty” from Israel’s Avai Levy and Irish acid dramedic murder mystery “These Sacred Vows” –  underscores Banijay’s intent when it comes to the huge stable of companies it owns. When it comes to encouraging certain scripted genres or tones, “We’re so granular and there are so many different companies in so many different markets. It’s extremely important to us to, as far as possible, to maintain and encourage this individuality of the different companies, their voices too, particularly in a difficult market at the moment,” Matthews told Variety in the runup to Series Mania. 

One case in point: “My Brother,” a show Matthews worked on directly. “The game is a balance between top European filmmaking and the slickness and precision of international script and story,” Matthews said. 

“My Brother” does have a murder. Scriptwriter Karin Arrhenius and Matthews wondered if they could adapt the original novel into a cop-show of any kind. “But it didn’t really work. The story’s very dark indeed. The show grew organically. And it’s a matter of great pride that there’s an honesty and authenticity that seems to have popped in an extraordinary way,” he added.

Equally, on “‘Wallander,’ one question was: Where was ‘Wallander’ now? ‘Wallander’ was done the first time around in the first flush of Nordic Noir and done very, very well. Should it be more modern? But we haven’t over pushed the modernity. We haven’t got a lot of him not being able to use iPhones or any of that stuff. It’s got a clarity. It’s strong, very muscular, and a good example of trust the material, trust the book, trust the writer.” 

Banijay companies “know their markets, cultures, stories, commissioners and their talent. It’s really important that they do what they do,” said Matthews.

So what does Banijay bring to the table? “We’re scaling innovation, backing talent, investing in development, and pushing into new ways to tell ambitious stories,” Matthews and Jensen said.

That may mean investing in development to help and support a title to have the power and leverage and power of something that’s big while maintaining the sense of coming from an individual producer, said Matthews.

But passion’s back in fashion, he added. “Things are tough. Data is always important. But the whole game is a balance between having a sense of what the market wants, but also a sense of artistic integrity. Commissioners really want to see a spark in the eye,” Matthews observed. 

“Not so long ago 2024, there was a statistic that 44% of all new shows in Europe were crime. I’m hearing from the streaming services that shows should have a genre, but they would encourage producers to be significantly bolder in the subjects that they’re choosing. I think now is not the time to be conservative because I think they’re looking like they need shows to pop through, to shine through, and that doesn’t come from timid thinking.”

A closer look at Banijay’s global scripted slate at Series Mania: 

The Big U.K. Trio

“A Woman of Substance”

A BritBox U.S. streaming rights pickup, this time round, Brenda Blethyn (“Vera,” “Pride and Prejudice”) takes the Deborah Kerr role as the older Emma Harte, once an impoverished Yorkshire maid, played by Jessica Reynolds (“Kneecap”),who builds from one clothes shop to becoming the richest woman in the world. Produced by The Forge, reuniting “The Buccaneers” scribes Roanne Bardsley as lead writer and Katherine Jakeways and that series’ helmer John Hardwick as lead director, scoring an upbeat critical reaction for its gloss, sweep, unapologetic melodrama and Reynolds perf. “Another wonderful (and horny) retelling” of the novel,” said The Guardian.

“Falling,” 

Starring Keeley Hawes (“Scoop,” “Miss Austen”) and Paapa Essiedu (“Black Mirror,” “The Lazarus Project,” seen at Series Mania in “Babies”) in what Barnijay calls a “modern love story” where a nun falls for a Catholic priest. Both wrestle with what it means for them, their vows, and their relationship with God. “‘Falling’ is a story that has Jack Thorne’s singular talent of mining the sublime out of the ordinary running all the way through,” Essiedu has said. Joe Donaldson (“Peaky Blinders”) produces; Peter Hoar (“It’s a Sin”) lead directs. 

“Half Man,” 

Making a big splash at October’s Mipcom and set for an HBO U.S. release,the latest from “Baby Reindeer” creator-star Richard Gadd who stars with Jamie Bell (“Rocket Man”) in the tale of two men, close as brothers as teens, now embittered enemies. Described as capturing the wild energy of a changing city – a changing world, even – while asking: What does it mean to be a man? Banijay’s Mam Tor Productions produces with Thistledown Pictures for the BBC and BBC Scotland and HBO. 

Streamer Titles

“Motorvalley,” 

A Netflix Italian original and underdog high-speed racing drama with engineer Elena bringing in hot head Blu and ex champ Arturo to compete at Italy’s GT Championship and win back her family’s business. A blend of family melodrama and high-octane action in line with “Fast & Furious,” says Micropsia’s Diego Lerer. Produced by Groenlandia (“The Law According to Lidia Poët”) and creator-writers Matteo Rovere, writer-direcor of “Italian Race,” and Gianluca Bernardina, a writer on well-received “Shake.” “‘Motorvalley’ is ‘Lidia Poët’ 100 M.P.H: State of the art, great fun genre,” said Matthews.

“Boho,” 

From top Banijay-owned Flemish label Jonnydepony (“The Big Fuck-Up”), a millennial female-led drama comedy, created by Abbie Boutkabout and directed by Olympia Allaert and set in the vibrant neighborhood of Borgerhout in Antwerp, boasts intricately choreographed dance and music to tell the intertwined stories of three friends, Variety reported from Mipcom. Now streaming on Streamz, and a “testament to the wealth of female Flemish creativity,” it said.

“La Nena,” 

Adapting Carmen Mola’s neo noir crime bestsellers, the stylish and brutal “The Gypsy Bride,” from “Penny Dreadful” director Paco Cabezas and Diagonal TV, gave Atresmedia SVOD service Atresplayer one of its biggest hits of 2022. If a big marketing push at Spain’s Malaga Festival this month was anything to go by, Atresplayer is hoping for the same with “La Nena,” a makeover of Mola’s third novel. Nerea Blanco returns as Inspector Elena Blanco, investigating once more the Purple Network. Word is that La Nena,” due to bow on Atresplayer and Disney+ April 12, is the darkest and most shocking installments of the trilogy. 

Further International Titles

“Montmartre,” (Authentic Prod)

Bowing Sept. 25 on TF1 to robust 20%+ shares, another big TF1 period piece after “Women at War” and “The Bonfire of Destiny,” here set in the legendary Parisian district in 1899 where a cabaret dancer (Alice Dufour, “Alphonse”) hunts for her siblings. Reviews were largely upbeat – “an elegant historic reconstruction, a romantic air and the talent of Alice Dufour,” said Télé Cable Sat. Also a flurry of sales for Studio TF1 led by MHz Networks for the U.S., Italy’s Mediaset and Spain’s Atresmedia. Directed by Louis Choquette (“Versailles”).

“Marie-Line Incognito” (DMLS Films)

A former French secret service spy reassigned as a sleeper agent in her quiet Cantal hometown, joins forces with the local police chief, a former colleague, to solve local crimes. Made for TF1 and described by Banijay as a character-driven procedural and DMLS as “a unique blend of investigative intrigue and small-town drama.” The latest from DMLS, behind “Pourquoi je vis” (TF1), “Meurtre à Figeac” (France 3) and “Tous inconnus” (TF1).

“Wallander,” (Jarowskij/YellowBird)

Starring Gustaf Skarsgård (“Oppenheimer,” “Vikings”), the anticipated – and modern – reboot of “Wallander,” set up at Banijay Entertainment’s Jarowskij/Yellow Bird and Swedish broadcast network TV4, and featuring a Wallander who, just divorced and losing his father and daughter, feels his life is falling apart. The latest in one of the most resilient of TV crime franchises, seeing a three-season Swedish series (2005-13) Kenneth Branagh’s British TV version (2008-16) and Netflix two-season series “Young Wallander” (2020-22). 

Festival Lineup

“My Brother” (Filmlance)

The latest from Karin Karin Arrhenius, fast consolidating as one of Sweden’s major screenwriters (“Rebecca Martinsson,”“Blackwater”), adapting the first novel by Karin Smirnoff, a four-part mystery thriller sold by TrustNordisk and from “The Bridge” and “Caliphate” producer Filmlance International, part of Banijay Entertainment. A big hit on Swedish pubcaster SVT, bowing all four episodes on Dec. 26 on SVT to fairly spectacular results of 1.5 million views (980 000 on free-to-air TV and 309 000 SVT Play), by early January, according to audience measurement company MMS.   

“Anatomy of a Moment,” (DLO Producciones )

For many, the best Spanish series of 2025, created by Spain’s Alberto Rodríguez (“The Plague”), produced by Spain’s DLO Producciones (“The Gardener”), a Banijay company, Movistar Plus+ and Arte France, and chronicling how Spanish prime minister Adolfo Suárez, a former member of dictator Francisco Franco’s Falange, put through democracy in Spain over 1976-77, abetted by Santiago Carillo, head of Spain’s Communist Party and Manuel Gutierrez Mellado, a reformist Francoist general. 

The six-part series is directed with flair, including a trenchant voiceover which clarifies the trio’s characters and actions and their consequences, as the three emerge, as Rodriguez told Variety, as “figures of a Shakespearean stature.”

“These Sacred Vows,” (Treasure Entertainment)

The morning after an Irish wedding on a Spanish island, a priest is found dead in a swimming pool. “A fractured portrait of middle-class Irish life under pressure, probing generational tensions around faith, status and identity in a society still reckoning with the Catholic Church’s diminished authority.” says Variety. Created by writer-director John Butler (“The Outlaws”). Produced by Dublin-based Treasure Entertainment for Irish public broadcaster RTÉ with support from Banijay Rights and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. 

“Etty,” (Topkapi Films)

World premiering at Venice, but bidding fair to become one of the biggest series at Series Mania where it was screened in its six episode entirety on Saturday. A vision of the extraordinary life of Etty Hillesum,  the writer and Jewish activist who died in Auschwitz, set by creator Hagai Levi in a broadly modern-day Amsterdam where she refuses to abandon her principles while living out a rich inner life felt deeply. A series made by Topkapi for Arte France but with a spectacular clutch of other companies which wanted in, led by Arte GEIE, SWR, Les Films du Poisson, Komplizen Serien and Quiddity. 

“Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man,”

Another Series Mania first weekend highlight, hitting the festival with an already upbeat critical response – “Barry Keoghan joins Cillian Murphy for more rousing brutes-in-suits action,” announced Variety – and hinting how creator Steven Knight may now take the franchise with a “Peaky Blinders” series sequel spin-off in the offing. Produced by Netflix, Garrison Drama, Nebulastar and BBC Film. Scoring 91% with critics and 89% with audience members on Rotten Tomatoes, its impact on Netflix looks pretty well assured. 

“Totally Spies”

Series Mania focuses on premium live-action scripted. But it’s made an exception, staging a 25th anniversary screening of “Totally Spies.” Few French animated series have proved so much a milestone. Created by Vincent Chalvon-Demersay and David Michel and largely produced by French company Zodiak Kids & Family France, the teen girl spy romp bowed on ABC Family before moving to Cartoon Network, and later to Universal Kids for the sixth season, acquiring cult status and sparking a movie and a spin-off series, demonstrating the ability of French animation to make a splash in the U.S.   

The Broader Pipeline

Complementing the Series Mania showcase is a broader pipeline of scripted releases from across the Banijay Entertainment network. “Peaky Blinders” is set to return with two six-part series produced by Kudos and Garrison Drama for BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK and for Netflix globally. 

Additional forthcoming releases include “Unchosen” from Double Dutch, “Enfrentados” from Alex de la Iglesia’ and Carolina Bang’s s Pokeepsie Film’s for Prime Video, and a third season of “The Buccaneers” from The Forge for Apple TV+.