Leading independent distributor All3Media International has signed a new scripted format deal in Asia, as a new local version of comedy drama Step Dave will be produced  in Malaysia.

Sharply funny comedy drama Step Dave has been picked up by Malaysia’s leading content and entertainment company, Astro to be adapted into a Mandarin version. Originally produced by South Pacific Pictures for TV2 in New Zealand and already commissioned in five countries, Step Dave centres on a carefree 24-year-old bartender whose life is turned upside down when he falls for a sophisticated 39-year-old mother of three — can this unexpected love story defy the odds?

Astro is set to air the Mandarin-language version of Step Dave later this year. This new deal is the latest scripted format partnership between All3Media International and Astro following the platform’s recent adaptation of Two Brothers Pictures’ Liar. Astro’s Step Dave  production, the sixth version of the drama,  will be a  ten-part series and  is a production collaboration with the award-winning independent production company phoSumpro, based in Kuala Lumpur with 20 years of industry experience.

Step Dave joins a host of All3Media International’s scripted formats deals. With over 15 scripted formats commissioned in Asia, many of the adaptations are garnering acclaim and awards such as  Kafas, the adaptation of The Forge’s Dark Money, recently winning ‘Best Scripted Format’ at C21’s 2024 International Format Awards, and ‘Best TV Format Adaptation (Scripted) at the 2024 ContentAsia Awards. In addition, several of the adaptations have travelled to many other countries such as Miss S, a Chinese adaptation for Tencent of the detective drama Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries, aired across 29 territories including Canada, Australia, Japan and Korea and HBO in the US.

Amanda Pe, Sales Manager at All3Media International, commented, “Astro has been a fantastic partner, and following the success of the Malaysian adaptation of Liar, we are thrilled to be working with them again on Step Dave, a dynamic new romantic comedy. Their commitment to remarkable storytelling and groundbreaking content makes Astro the perfect platform to bring this universally relatable and heartwarming comedy to life. We are delighted to also collaborate with the talented team at phoSumpro, Yin (Producer) and Mai (Director) whose expertise in crafting compelling local adaptations shines through in this comedy drama. We believe Step Dave will resonate strongly with Astro’s audience, and we look forward to continuing our partnership on more projects.”