Huaso Film/TV Digital Production, a joint-venture production company of Sony Pictures Television and CCTV6’s HuaCheng Pictures, has concluded a deal with Croton Media to co-produce a Chinese version of classic NBC sitcom Mad About You, which starred Helen Hunt and Paul Reiser, the companies said Monday.
This is the first adaptation of the comedy series in Asia by Sony Pictures Television.
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“Based on the Emmy- and Golden Globe Award-winning comedy series that ran in the U.S. for seven seasons, Mad About You follows a city-dwelling newlywed couple looking to sustain marital bliss despite many hurdles, including their careers, families and friends,” the companies said. Huaso and Croton have begun casting the two lead roles and supporting characters, with production slated to start in early 2015.
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“With our robust scripted formats business, we have found that hit series have universal appeal,” said Dai Huang, executive director, sales, international distribution and acting executive director, international production, Asia, for SPT. “We have chosen to co-produce a local version of Mad About You in China because we believe this story about a young couple trying to balance their lives in the big city will be especially relevant to local audiences.”
Huaso has also produced local versions of other SPT scripted and non-scripted formats in China, including talk show Dr. Oz, Raid the Cage and Dancing Nation.
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SPT’s portfolio of successful local productions includes Married…With Children in 12 territories, The Nanny in nine, Everybody Loves Raymond in five, The King of Queens in two and I Dream of Jeannie in India. The studio also recently produced an adaptation of Breaking Bad for Spanish-speaking audiences across Latin America.
Email: Georg.Szalai@THR.com
Twitter: @georgszalai
