Endemol Shine & Viu to adapt The Bridge for Asia

Asian VOD service Viu has teamed with Endemol Shine Group (ESG) to produce a localised, ten-episode adaptation of the internationally successful title The Bridge.

The adaptation will air on Viu in late 2018 and is set to become ESG’s first scripted content project in Asia for an OTT service.

It is expected to shoot in July and begin airing in Malaysia and Singapore later this year.

The Bridge original has aired in more than 188 territories and spawned localised remakes in the UK, France, US, Mexico, Germany, and Russia.

It follows the story of a body that is found on the border of two countries, forcing an investigator from each country to work together to solve the case. The border will be between Malaysia and Singapore in the latest adaptation.

The title was originally created and written by Hans Rosenfeldt as a joint production of Sweden’s Filmlance International, part of Endemol Shine Group and Denmark’s Nimbus Film.

The Bridge was produced in co-production with Sveriges Television, DR, ZDF German Television network, ZDF Enterprises Gmbh, Film i Skåne, NRK, Copenhagen Film Fund, Lumiere Group, Stiftelsen Ystad Österlen Filmfond, with from Norvision and in co-operation with Malmö Stad.

Cathy Payne, chief executive of Endemol Shine International, said: “Partnering with Viu is a natural fit for us, given it’s the leading OTT in Southeast Asia. We expect the premium format of The Bridge to resonate strongly in this region.”

Viu’s wider strategy is to both deliver local content and also to tailor international content formats for its local audience, according to the company.

Kingsley Warner, country manager for Viu Malaysia said: “Viu previously achieved success in adapting popular entertainment to emerging markets when it brought the CBS Hollywood Squares format to audiences in India, releasing Tollywood Squares.

“Today’s news is in that same vein and we believe that working with Endemol Shine to tell this gripping story, while also making it uniquely our own, will captivate our viewers.”