Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp branching out with small-screen adaptations ‘The Transporter’ and ‘Taken’
Deadline is reporting that a major U.S. networks has signed on for a TV series based on the action film franchise “The Transporter” which starred Jason Statham as the driver who delivers anything, anywhere – no questions asked.
Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp, who produced the franchise, won’t say who the US partner is, “but it’s a big one,” says chairman Pierre-Ange Le Pogam. The twelve episode series is said to cost €35 million and French producer Lagardere Entertainment is fully financing the project. They are aiming for the first episodes to premiere early November next year. The American tv network CW recently gave a full-season order to “Nikita,” another TV show based on a EuropaCorp franchise.
EuropaCorp is also looking into a TV series based on another of its hit action thriller franchises, “Taken”, but won’t begin seriously working on it until the film sequel with Liam Neeson begins shooting this Spring. Paris-based animation house Zagtoon is also adapting another Besson movie, “Arthur and the Invisibles,” as a €9 million animated TV series.