Leading independent distributor all3media International has reunited with Company Pictures and co-commissioner ARD Degeto in Germany, along with co-producers Masterpiece in the USA and ITV in the UK, for a second series of detective drama Van Der Valk starring Marc Warren (Safe, Mad Dogs). The commission of a new three-part instalment comes as all3media International confirms yet more deals worldwide for the first series.
Set in and around Amsterdam, the new series of Van Der Valk follows the street-smart detective as he leads his dynamic team in solving mysterious crimes using astute human observation and inspired detection. The second series is filmed on location and will, once again, be produced by all3media group’s Company Pictures with NL Film & TV B.V. co-producing. Dutch public broadcaster NPO is also onboard, with additional financing by Netherlands Film Production Incentive. NPO will take broadcast rights for the Netherlands. Filming for the second series is planned to start in Spring 2021.
all3media International today also announced numerous deals that have been signed around the world for the first three-part series of Van Der Valk.
Broadcasters in Europe include Discovery (Italy), France Televisions (France), NRK (Norway), TV2 (Denmark), TV4 (Sweden), Croatia (HRT), Canal Cosmopolitan (Spain), and a pan-regional deal in the CIS region (Okko). In addition, deals have been signed in Poland, Lithuania, Italian-speaking Switzerland, Finland, Flemish Belgium, Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, and Slovenia.
In Asia, NHK has acquired the title in Japan and ViuTVsix will play the title in Hong Kong. Deals have also been confirmed in Singapore, Malaysia, and Taiwan in addition to deals signed with ABC (Australia) and Sky (New Zealand).
The drama has also secured sales with DirecTV in Latin America and BBC Global Channels will play the title in Africa.
Chris Murray returns as writer and showrunner and Marc Warren will reprise his role as Commissaris Piet Van der Valk and Maimie McCoy (The Three Musketeers) features as Lucienne Hassell, his gutsy and fiercely competent right-hand woman. Other cast members include Luke Allen-Gale (Dominion), Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Jericho), Darrell D’Silva (Strike Back) and Emma Fielding (Les Misérables).
Michele Buck, CEO at Company Pictures, commented, “We were absolutely thrilled with the success of the first series of Van Der Valk, which combined compelling contemporary crime stories with a fantastic ensemble cast and a stand-out central performance from Marc Warren. All set against the backdrop of one of the most vibrant cities in the world, Amsterdam. With the second series, we intend to build on the warmth, humour, and camaraderie of the team with another series of suspenseful stories created by Chris Murray. We’re truly excited to get started on a brand-new instalment of this fantastic drama and I’m looking forward to bringing the world of Van Der Valk to life once again.”
Louise Pedersen, CEO at all3media International, said, “The number of deals confirmed for Van Der Valk highlights the strong demand in Europe and beyond for two-hour detective dramas. Our clients are always on the look-out for high-quality, well-made primetime drama that appeals to a wide audience – and Van Der Valk fits the bill perfectly. We’re delighted to reunite with ARD Degeto, Masterpiece, ITV, and Company Pictures on this international co-production, and I know our first-season broadcasters – and their viewers – will be eagerly anticipating more intriguing investigations.”
Sebastian Lückel, Head of Acquisitions and Co-productions at ARD Degeto, added, “We were thrilled with the response to the first season of Van Der Valk, which delighted our viewers in Germany with its modern interpretation of the original stories. This project is a truly international collaboration, which has resulted in a drama that’s proving to be an incredible success on the global stage – and a new second season can only add to its continued appeal both in Germany and worldwide.”
Susanne Simpson, Executive Producer of MASTERPIECE “Our viewers will be especially excited to return to Amsterdam for this new season. We expect that Marc Warren and the entire ensemble will bring us an incredible series of mysteries with even more intrigue and action.”
Huw Kennair Jones, ITV Drama Commissioner said “Marc Warren’s portrayal of Van Der Valk won the hearts and minds of a new generation of TV crime fans with his brilliant performance as the Amsterdam-based detective. We are thrilled with how the ITV audience received the series and look forward to the new episodes next year.”