Drama round-up: Stan buys SPT shows; BritBox & ITVX prep Cary Grant series; Bet+ buys South Africa’s ‘Pulse’

Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul

Stan buys SPT shows

Australian streamer Stan has extended its deal with Sony Pictures Television (SPT), claiming first-run rights to shows including Bob Odenkirk’s Straight Man.

Stan has previously housed Odenkirk-starring Better Call Saul and Breaking Bad, while the streamer is also taking action-comedy Twisted Metal and Panhandle from SPT.

Other shows included in the package are Passport To Freedom, alongside veteran series ranging such as Dawson’s Creek and movies including Jumanji.

Stan already has deals with US studios such as Amazon-owned MGM, Lionsgate and NBCU.

BritBox & ITVX prep Cary Grant series

BritBox and ITVX in the UK are joining forces on Archie, a four-part drama exploring the life of Hollywood star Cary Grant.

The series is being written by Jeff Pope and stars Jason Isaacs in the leading role. It will be produced by ITV Studios (ITVS), which sells globally, while BritBox International – which is backed by ITVS and BBC Studios – is attached as co-production partner.

The show includes input from Grant’s daughter, Jennifer Grant, and ex-wife Dyan Cannon, both off whom are exec producing. It will debut on ITV’s new, free streaming service ITVX, which launches later this year. The drama will air on ITV months later.

Bet+ buys South Africa’s Pulse

Bet+ in the US has acquired South African produced sci-fi survival thriller Pulse from Abacus Media Rights (AMR).

The Paramount-owned SVOD channel will launch the 6 x 60-minute series, which is produced by Media Musketeers, on 18 August.

The show was filmed in Mauritius and produced in the UK and South Africa. It tells the explosive story of an electromagnetic pulse that disables a secure building and disrupts the bio-electric signals in everyone’s minds.