Toronto-based film and television production company Wildling Pictures announced the launch of its new TV division, featuring a varied slate of quality, high-profile IP and scripted series.
The production company has produced a range of original feature films including Young Werther starring Alison Pill, Douglas Booth, Iris Apatow, and the hit thriller See For Me starring Kim Coates and Jessica Parker Kennedy. Wildling’s new TV slate will feature a particular focus on high-end drama, kids, YA and family projects.
The slate includes the screen adaption of the bestselling book A Death at The Party by Amy Stuart. In this mystery thriller, Nadine’s garden party is in full swing, when she finds herself standing over a dead body in her basement, left to piece together exactly what is going on. Wildling Pictures will work alongside screenwriter Joanne Sarazen (Backspot, Tammy’s Always Dying) to adapt the book into a series for TV.
Also on the new TV division slate is YA series Clara Voyant, adapted from the bestselling Rachelle Delaney novel. This coming-of-age story follows a wannabe journalist and reluctant astrologer, Clara, who is devastated when she gets stuck writing the horoscopes for the school’s newspaper, until she discovers she is clairvoyant. Screenwriter Veronika Paz (I Woke Up A Vampire, Astrid and Lilly Save the World) is on board the project.
With an extended focus on diverse stories and animation, the TV slate features the adult animated series Hot Flash based on the short film from Thea Hollatz, which debuted at Sundance Film Festival in 2020. Thirty-one Sixty Pictures is co-producing the project in Canada, with Kristy Neville serving as an Executive Producer. The animated workplace comedy centres on a woman working as a television newscaster, who experiences a menopause-related hot flash just as she is about to go on air to report on a snowstorm. Adapting the story for TV, Wildling has attached cowriters Susan Coyne (Daisy Jones & The Six, Slings and Arrows) and James Schultz (Disappearance at Clifton Hill) to the project.
Bolstering Wildling’s slate of kids’ TV projects is the preschool animated series Professor Goose, based on the children’s book series by Paulette Bourgeois and illustrated by Alex G. Griffiths, currently in development with CBC. Professor Goose follows the adventures of Marie Curious Goose, Ph.D., as she fact-checks the science in her great-aunt Mother Goose’s stories.
Wildling’s Matt Code (Accused), Natalie Urquhart (Suits) and Julie Strifler (Easy Land) are executive producing the projects.
As Wildling continues to expand its TV division, it is looking to partner with broadcasters, studios, established directors and series creators, both domestically and internationally.
Matt Code, Producer and President at Wildling Pictures, says “Our team are proud to introduce Wildling’s selection of high quality IP and elevated scripted original series. Having built a strong reputation within the feature film production space, we are delighted to be expanding our expertise with the launch of our original TV content. We are looking forward to working with some incredible talent, and introducing these projects to potential partners at Content London in a few weeks.”
