FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME) has announced a major first look deal with Pukeko Pictures, the affiliate television company of Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop. The partnership will see the two companies working together on new scripted television series.

This upcoming project will benefit from the expertise from within the New Zealand entertainment sector, in particular the Weta Workshop facilities and the world-renowned talents of the Wellington film and television production industry.

This deal further expands FME’s global content initiative, which has recently included Wedding Band, from Tollin Productions for TBS in the US, and Hit & Miss from Abbott Vision for Sky Atlantic in the UK.

As part of the new relationship, both companies have jointly hired Adam Fratto to head up development of new television projects for the global market. Fratto joins from Atticus Entertainment where he spearheaded television, feature and new media development under a first-look deal with HBO.