Nippon Television Network Corporation (Nippon TV) has secured remake rights for Red Arrow International’s hit drama format The Last Cop. The show has been commissioned by Hulu, the online video service in Japan operated by HJ Holdings, a fully-owned subsidiary of Nippon TV. The production is the first original drama to be commissioned by Hulu in Japan and will air on both Hulu and Nippon TV this early summer.
The Japanese version sees acclaimed actor Toshiaki Karasawa play the lead role. His film credits include 20th Century Boys, Toshiie and Matsu, and The Waste Land. He was also the voice for Tom Hanks in the Japanese version of Toy Story and The Polar Express.
Kazufumi Nagasawa, Chief Content Officer of HJ Holdings, said, “We are excited to announce the launch of The Last Cop as Hulu’s first original drama commission. This is an important new phase for Hulu, providing our users with an even greater range of entertainment content. We are planning to premier more foreign content on our service and we look forward to producing more original remakes of foreign shows and collaborating with the terrestrial broadcast business to maximize each show’s value. We are launching the original German production of The Last Cop Season 1 and we are hoping entertainment fans will enjoy both the original and the brand new remake.”
Hiroyuki Ueno, Producer/Manager, Programming division of Nippon TV said, “There are a number of cultural reasons why it has proved difficult in the past to remake foreign dramas in Japan. However, remakes provide a great opportunity to bring something new to Japanese audiences and we feel that the time is right to remake this bold and unique drama. When Nippon TV acquired Hulu’s business in Japan last year, I saw this as good timing to produce a series that could harness the great synergies across the entire Nippon TV Group. The Last Cop is the first-ever drama produced by both Nippon TV (terrestrial) and Hulu in Japan and we are hugely excited about launching this new show in Japan.”
Jamie I, VP Sales, Asia Pacific for Red Arrow International said, “We are thrilled to see the Japanese version of our scripted format The Last Cop on Nippon TV and Hulu in Japan. Given that Nippon TV is the top rated broadcaster in Japan, and Hulu recently reached 1 million subscribers, these channels are the perfect home for the show. This is the first time that an Asian country has adapted The Last Cop and we are confident that it will be a huge success.”
The Last Cop, produced by ITV Studios Germany, is SAT.1 Germany’s most successful crime series and has been sold to territories across the globe. The French remake Falco, produced by Beaubourg Audiovisuel, has also achieved great success, outperforming TF1’s channel average by up to 135%, where it is currently running in its third season.
The Last Cop and Falco are both distributed by Red Arrow International as scripted formats and finished programmes.
