Cannes – The four-part drama “Litvinenko,” starring Scottish actor David Tennant, has sold to more than 80 international markets, before debuting on new ITV streaming service ITVX in the UK, and on Nent Group’s Viaplay streaming service in Nordic countries, Holland, Poland and the Baltic states.
Sundance Now and AMC+ from AMC Networks have acquired exclusive US rights to the drama, and Prime Video has taken the series into Canada.
In Europe, “Litvinenko” will be broadcast on M6 in France, ProSiebenSat.1 in Germany, and Sky Italia, among others.
In the Asia Pacific region, Seven Network Australia, TVNZ (New Zealand) and Now TV in Hong Kong are among those that have secured the rights, along with Viacom 18 which will make the title available in the Indian subcontinent. BookMyShow will retain the rights to TVOD in India, through its platform BookMyShow Stream, and M-Net has taken on pan-African drama.
“This fascinating and thought-provoking story would interest worldwide viewers at any point in time, but perhaps no more so than at this moment in time. We are extremely proud to play our part in ITV Studios,” said Ruth Perry, Managing Director of Global Distribution at ITV Studios. Shedding light on the circumstances surrounding the death of Alexander Litvinenko around the world.
Litvinenko’s film tells the story of a group of Scotland Yard officers who worked for 10 years to prove who was responsible for the death of a Russian dissident.
The drama was written by George Kay (“Lupin”, “Criminal”), produced by Patrick Spence, ITV Studios, Tiger Aspect Productions, and directed by Jim Field Smith (“Criminal”, “Truth Seekers”).
“Litvinenko” was produced with the support of key individuals involved in the investigation and public inquiry, including former Scotland Yard officers Clive Timmons and Brent Hyatt along with Ben Emerson QC and the Litvinenko family. It was commissioned for ITV by head of drama Polly Hill.
The story began in November 2006, when two police officers were called to University College Hospital in London to interview a patient in poor health. It was Litvinenko who claimed that he was poisoned on direct orders from Vladimir Putin.
With the information he gave the police from his bed, investigators tracked down two Russians who had poisoned Litvinenko with polonium-210, a highly toxic radioactive substance.
After his death was announced on November 23, Scotland Yard launched a murder investigation.
The drama also tells the story of Marina, played by Margarita Leviva (“The Deuce”, “The Blacklist”), his widow who struggled desperately to persuade the British government to openly declare her husband’s killers and recognize the role of the Russian state in his murder.
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