‘Love/Hate’ looks set to become Ireland’s most successful home-produced TV series ever, as the drama has been optioned by a US sales agent which is pitching it to US broadcasters.
RTÉ has confirmed that the hit series, which won a total of six IFTA’s just last week, is now in the hands of US distributors which are hopeful a US broadcaster will commission a series.
Speaking to press this week, executive producer James Flynn of Octagon Films said, “What's happened is that a US sales agent has optioned it and we are now pitching it to the US broadcasters”. An RTÉ spokeswoman told IFTN the sales agent is pitching “to see if there’s any interest in developing it there”.
There is no word yet on whether Octagon will co-produce on a US series if commissioned, but the production company is no stranger to co-producing on big budget productions, having just wrapped ‘Vikings’, a co-production with Canada’s Take 5 Productions and Ireland’s Word 2000, as well as producing on Showtime series ‘The Borgias’, among others.
'Love/Hate', which is written by Stuart Carolan, directed by David Caffrey, produced by Suzanne McAuley and Steve Matthews, and commissioned by Jane Gogan for RTÉ Drama, has already been acquired by US video on demand service Hulu, which aired season one to a US audience in late 2012.
The fourth series of the gangland drama, which stars Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, Killian Scott, Peter Coonan, Charlie Murphy, Aoibhinn McGinnity and Jason Barry, is currently in pre-production, with principal photography scheduled for spring.
‘Love/Hate’ is the second original Irish drama to be acquired internationally this year, after TV3 series, ‘Deception’ was picked up by international distributor DRG. ‘Deception’, a co-production between Tyrone Productions and EO Teilifís, aired its season finale last week.
Let IFTN know who you think should play Nidge and the gang in the US version by commenting on Facebook and tweeting us @IFTN.
Click here for an interview on ‘Love/Hate’ with Jane Gogan.
