Studiocanal Renews Nickelodeon Global Deal on ‘The Adventures of Paddington,’ Season 3 (EXCLUSIVE)

A quiet arrangement. King Charles III and the late Queen Elizabeth II had an “unspoken” deal about naming Camilla as Queen Consort — and it involved Prince Andrew.

One of the top contenders for Best Documentary at the Oscars this year ranges from the skies above Delhi, India to a basement below the city’s north end.

Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas looked stunning as they dressed in coordinated outfits to celebrate Diwali on Tuesday. The 40-year-old actress and the 30-year-old musician and actor beamed in a sweet photo posted to his Instagram that featured their 10-month-old baby Malti. Priyanka, 40, was dazzling as she displayed her toned abs in a traditional champagne toned lehenga with gold trim and a gold mesh top.

Naman Ramachandran Slice-of-life comedy series “Brown Nation” will have its Indian television premiere on Comedy Central during the Diwali holiday frame. The series will bow on Oct. 22, 2022, with all episodes playing back-to-back. Produced in 2016, the series initially played on Netflix. It follows characters Hasmukh and Dimple from Queens, New York, who attempt to balance their work-life troubles, keep their romance alive all whilst living under the same roof with Papaji, Hasmukh’s father-in-law. It stars Rajeev Varma (“Inside”), Shenaz Treasury (“The Big Sick”), Omi Vaidya (“3 Idiots”) and Melanie Chandra (“Hot Mess Holiday”). The series is directed by Abi Varghese and written by Matt Grubb, George Kanatt, and Varghese.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent CANNES — Framing one of the first independent series co-productions between Brazil and Portugal, Ventre Studio, Coral Europa, Canal Brasil and TVI are co-producing “Godless John,” with Brazilian acting legend Marco Nanini as John of God. Directed by Marina Person (“California”), the three-part series’ boasts a powerful Brazilian cast which has gained international recognition: Bianca Comparato,  star of Netflix hit “3%,” Karine Teles (“Second Mother”) and Antonio Saboia (“Bacurau”). Two Portuguese actresses will be confirmed shortly.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent CANNES — Ester Expósito, one of the most preeminent of breakout actors from “Elite,” is set to star in “La Isla Bonita,” a new series created by Ginesta Guindal (“Vida Perfecta,” “Elite”), produced by The Immigrant and Sabado Películas with production-distribution superindie Fremantle handling global distribution. Billed as an irreverent dramedy, “La Isla Bonita” focuses on a group of friends – party, party animal Alfonso, idealist Peter, environmentalist Sol – who share a quaint house on Ibiza, until the owner decides to triple the rent for the summer months, forcing them to find an ingenious solution to keep their lives and home together. 

Meet any high-profile Indian director or producer these days, and the talk is all about bibles, writers rooms and showrunners, rather than making films. Driving down Mumbai’s main artery, the Western Express Highway, most of the billboards are promoting new premium drama series from Prime Video, Netflix and Disney+ Hotstar, rather than the latest Bollywood release.

Joe Otterson TV Reporter Fox has given out an early Season 2 renewal to the Jon Hamm-led animated comedy “Grimsburg” before the show has even premiered. The announcement was made by Michael Thorn, president of entertainment for Fox Entertainment, during a MIPCOM panel moderated by Variety‘s co-editor-in-chief, Cynthia Littleton. “’Grimsburg’ is yet another clear example of our strong commitment to, and intense focus on, upholding the high bar of standards any show must exceed in order to reside under the Animation Domination banner,” Thorn said. “Of course, having Jon Hamm’s talent and star power front and center is a great place to start. Equally important, everything we’re seeing with ‘Grimsburg’ – from the very first scripts and show bible to animatics and preliminary cuts – makes us believe we have a winner on our hands that beautifully complements our animation brand.”

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent CANNES  —  Paramount+ has revealed a premiere date – Nov. 3 – as well as trailer and key art for “Bosé,” a biopic of the famed Spanish singer-songwriter Miguel Bosé which is shaping up as one of Spain’s biggest and most anticipated series of 2022.  Shared in exclusivity with Variety, the trailer, like the version glimpsed at Iberseries in one of that market’s biggest sneak peeks, captures Bosé’s art – a mix between David Bowie glam and sexual ambiguity and softer Italian melody.  It also drive into what looks like the emotional heart and narrative structure of the story, showing Miguel Bosé (played by Iván Sánchez and José Pastor), in a present-day timeline during the promotion of his multi-platinum album “Papito,” as he debates becoming a father. 

Liza Foreman CANNES – REinvent International Sales has sold the refugee drama ‘Lost’ to AMC Networks for Spain and Portugal. The Scandi production-distribtion shingle is presenting the title to buyers at this week’s Mipcom TV market in Cannes. Created by Ulf Ryberg (“Headhunters,” “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest”), the drama thriller tells the story of a truck driver smuggling a group of Syrian refugees into Sweden in his truck. An upsetting phone call from his soon to be ex-wife, leaves the refugees struggling for air, when his mind wanders off them.

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Rodrigo Santoro – Hector in “Westworld,” Xerxes in “300”– leans forward in his chair during a Zoom interview almost touching the screen, such is his excitement. “It’s absolutely extraordinary, the accomplishment. What they did, what this man did. The mission seemed completely impossible.” Santoro is talking about Ferdinand Magellan, whom he plays in Prime Video’s “Boundless,” directed by Simon West (“Con Air,” “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”), also starring Alvaro Morte, the Professor in “Money Heist,” and ZDF Studios and RTVE’s banner title at this year’s Mipcom.  West calls the series his “passion project.” For anybody interested in the Age of Discovery, Magellan’s circumnavigation of the world, completed by Basque Juan Sebastián Elcano, is the voyage of voyages, the greatest feat in maritime history, writes historian    

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Fremantle has acquired international distribution rights to “East Side,” the latest series from “Shtisel” producer Abot Hameiri, starring Yehuda Levi, a Series Mania 2022 best actor winner for “Fire Dance.” Taking 100% ownership of Abot Hameiri last year, Fremantle, which also co-financed the series, will bring “East Side” onto the  market at this next week’s Mipcom trade fair and conference in Cannes. To debut on Israel’s Kan 11 channel, “East Side” turns on Momi,  a former Israeli secret service agent hired to take over a Palestinian neighbourhood, one home at a time. He attempts one last sale in order to set up for life his 18-year-old daughter Maya who is on the autism spectrum. The challenge is to wrestle ownership of a grand hotel which dominates entrance to Jerusalem’s Old City. Whoever controls the entrance controls the City, Momi is told. But the owner, the new Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, says he is not for selling.  

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent Ahead of next week’s Mipcom, Banijay has acquired global rights to Argentine celebrity competition series “The Hotel,”  continuing its hugely successful relationship with Diego Guebel’s high-flying Boxfish in Argentina.  Produced by Boxfish for Canal 13, one of Argentina’s biggest free-to-air channels, “The Hotel” (“El Hotel”) sees 16 celebrity contestants shut themselves away for four months in a luxury hotel on the outskirts of a city. There’s only one caveat: the luxury establishment does not employ any staff.  “While guests enjoy a luxurious stay in the pool, spa and live shows and tuck into gourmet dinners, staff are housed in the hotel’s service area, washing linen, preparing breakfast and serving the guests’ every need,” Banijay explained Saturday, announcing its acquisition. 

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent To be released worldwide Nov. 4 on Prime Video, Amazon Original “El Presidente: The Corruption Game,” from Academy Award winner Armando Bo, is a Latin American series about how a Brazilian, João Havelange, wrestled control from Europe of the biggest sport on earth. In a neat historical echo, backed by Bo, “Narcos” producer Gaumont TV, Pablo and Juan de Dios Larraín’s Fabula (“La Jauría”) and Argentine powerhouse Kapow (“La Jauría”), the second season in the “El Presidente” series saga of soccer business high jinks and low morals now looks set to become one of the biggest soccer titles released in the countdown to the greatest show on earth, the FIFA World Cup. 

BreAnna Bell Zooey Deschanel will be joining the cast of “Physical” for Season 3, Variety has learned. She joins a cast that includes Rose Byrne, Dierdre Friel, Della Saba, Lou Taylor Pucci, Paul Sparks, Ashley Liao and Geoffrey Arend. Deschanel will play Kelly, described as “a former sitcom star who jumps into the burgeoning fitness industry.” According to the show’s synopsis, the half-hour dark comedy “is set in the beachy paradise of sunny 1980s San Diego and follows Sheila Rubin (Byrne), a quietly tortured, seemingly dutiful housewife supporting her smart but controversial husband’s bid for state assembly. Sheila comes to find her own reprieve from her daily woes in the world of aerobics, but it comes with its own host of troubles as well.”

John Hopewell Chief International Correspondent YouTube Originals will launch on Nov. 18 “Behind the Beats,” a novel animated pop music anthology series produced by France’s TeamTO and 22D Music Group in partnership with France Télévisions, the French public broadcaster.  Episodes 1-4 of the novel history of pop will also debut on the YouTube Kids app, YouTube Originals Kids & Family announced on Wednesday. YouTube and TeamTO have shared first-look images from the series in exclusivity with Variety.  The deal sees YouTube launching the series worldwide but with a one-year holdback in the French language, where France Télévisions has first-window exclusivity.