Following its world premiere screening at MIPTV, A+E Networks has sold its “Roots” miniseries reboot to 220 territories around the globe, to be broadcast in 42 languages. Territories buys include BBC (U.K.), FTA Numero 23 (France), DBS YES (Israel), SHOWMAX (Pan Africa), iFlix (Southeast Asia), SBS (Australia), TVNZ (New Zealand), Thai PBS (Thailand), D’Live (South Korea), Atres Media (Spain), HBO (Spain), HBO Europe (Central and Eastern Europe), HBO Nordics (SVOD), RTL (Netherlands), Crave (Canada), and the History channel in Japan, Latin America, Southeast Asia, India and Africa.
“The remarkable sales momentum we established at MIPTV endures. Our mounting sales further validate our belief that ambitious creative efforts, premium storytelling and betting on projects like this one will continue to gain partners,” said Joel Denton, A+E Networks’ managing director of international content sales and partnerships. “Broadcasting in 42 languages is testament to the truly universal appeal of this epic miniseries,” he added.
Broadcast earlier this year to critical acclaim in the US, “Roots” is a fresh retelling of the life and legacy of Kunta Kinte – a historical portrait of American slavery, recounting the journey of one family and their will to survive, endure and ultimately carry on their legacy despite enormous hardship.
The series’ stellar cast includes Forest Whitaker, Laurence Fishburne, Anika Noni Rose, Matthew Goode, Chad L. Coleman, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Derek Luke, Mekhi Phifer, James Purefoy, Erica Tazel, Anna Paquin, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rege-Jean Page, Tip “T.I” Harries and Malachi Kirby.
Each episode has a different feature film director – Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter, and Bruce Beresford.
Based on Alex Haley’s novel, “Roots: The Saga of an American Family,” whose 1977 TV adaptation remains one of the most-watched dramas in US TV history, the story remains as relevant today as it was nearly forty years ago.
Spanning multiple generations, the epic saga begins with young Kunta Kinte, who is captured in his homeland of The Gambia and transported in brutal conditions to colonial America, where he’s sold into slavery. Throughout the series, the family continues to face adversity while bearing witness and contributing to notable events in U.S. history, including the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, slave uprisings and eventual emancipation.
Developed by HISTORY, “Roots” is an A+E Studios production in association with Marc Toberoff and The Wolper Organization, the company that produced the original series.
Will Packer, Marc Toberoff, Mark Wolper, Lawrence Konner, Mark Rosenthal and Barry Jossen serve as executive producers. LeVar Burton and Korin D. Huggins are co-executive producers.
I’m curious to learn about how well the series plays in other countries. Stay tuned…
