Dick Wolf’s and NBC Universal are in talks with ITV and U.K. production company Kudos Film to launch a new version of “Law & Order,” but for audiences across the Pond, says Variety.
“Law & Order: London” (working title) would be given a 13-episode order by ITV — a virtually unheard-of production commitment in Britian. Most scripted dramas are given six-episode greenlights there.
But “Law & Order: London” virtually comes with a built-in audience: The U.S. version of “Law & Order” has been a hit in the U.K. for years. NBC launched the 18th season of “Law & Order” on Wednesday night, which means 18 years of scripts available to rework for the “London” version.
The deal is similar to earlier format sales Wolf engineered in France and Russia. Local editions of “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” are produced in both countries; a version of “Law & Order: SVU” runs in Russia as well. The pact with ITV and Kudos would represent the first foreign arrangement for the original “Law & Order” format.
Like the editions in France and Russia, “Law & Order: London” will rely on scripts originally written for the U.S. show but reworked to meet local customs.
There’s no deal in place, but it’s likely that “Law & Order: London” would make it back to the U.S., probably on an NBC U-owned cabler like USA (which already runs original “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” segs) or Bravo.
