Today timed with the Television Critics Association (TCA) Summer Press Tour, Universal Cable Productions (UCP) announced it has acquired the rights to the critically-acclaimed and industry-coveted, Danish drama “The Legacy” created by Maya Ilsoe with the goal to develop it into an event series. UCP has signed Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, “Suits”), Dave Bartis (Edge of Tomorrow, “Covert Affairs”), and Gene Klein (“Suits”) of Hypnotic to produce.
An immediate hit series on Denmark’s DR1 which debuted this January and ranked as the #1 show in market for most weeks, “The Legacy” follows the four children of an internationally renowned artist who dies leaving them to divide her estate. What was meant to be a quick and painless process exposes startling secrets and lies, turning their lives upside down and forcing them to take a deeper look within and at each other.
“‘The Legacy’ is an incredible drama with a secret at its heart that slowly tears the walls down of this complicated family,” said Dawn Olmstead, Executive Vice President, Development, Universal Cable Productions. “We fought hard with Hypnotic to get this project in a very competitive situation because we believe in the story at its core and it’s on point with the direction UCP is headed.”
“‘The Legacy’ features the kind of extraordinary characters that are truly unique even as they remind us of some of our favorite (and craziest) relatives,” said Executive Producer, Doug Liman.
In addition, four new UCP series will be featured at TCA Summer Press Tour headlining the NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment day content line-up across three networks. USA Network will showcase its highly anticipated event series, “Dig,” with a panel featuring stars Jason Isaacs and Anne Heche, and Co-Executive Producers Tim Kring and Gideon Raff. Bravo will showcase its first scripted series, “Girlfriends’ Guide To Divorce,” with a panel featuring cast Lisa Edelstein, Paul Adelstein, Beau Garrett, Necar Zadegan, and Executive Producer Marti Noxon. Syfy will panel “Ascension” featuring stars Tricia Helfer and Brian Van Holt, and Executive Producers Phil Levens and Mark Stern; and “12 Monkeys” paneling cast Kirk Acevedo, Noah Bean, Amanda Schull and Aaron Stanford and Executive Producer Richard Suckle.
Two UCP pilots have also been picked up. USA Network announced today the pilot pick-up of the new drama series, “Mr. Robot” from executive producers Sam Esmail (“Comet”) and Anonymous Content’s Steve Golin (“True Detective”) and Chad Hamilton (“Breakup at a Wedding”). “Mr. Robot” is a contemporary culturally resonant drama about a young programmer, Elliot, who suffers from a debilitating anti-social disorder and decides that he can only connect to people by hacking them. “Mr. Robot” joins the previously-announced pilot pick-up of UCP’s “Stanistan.” New USA original series from UCP include the critically-acclaimed comedy “Playing House” and the upcoming drama, “Satisfaction.”
Syfy has picked up “The Magicians,” an adaptation of Lev Grossman’s best-selling fantasy book series which has been published in 22 countries. The pilot script was written by John McNamara (“Prime Suspect”) and Sera Gamble (“Supernatural”) with Michael London (“Milk”) and Janice Williams (“All Good Girls”) set to produce. New and upcoming Syfy series from UCP include: “Dominion” debuting as this years most-watched season premiere on Syfy and the third-highest cable series premiere (Adults 18 34) this year; the second season return of “Defiance”; the original six-hour event series “Ascension” debuting in November; and the series “12 Monkeys” and “The Killjoys” coming in 2015.
