Syfy UK has closed a deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution to acquire the exclusive first run UK broadcast rights to The CW’s The Vampire Diaries spin-off The Originals. The show’s first season will debut on Syfy UK later this year.
A spin-off of The CW’s The Vampire Diaries, The Originals revolves around the Original family of vampires, as Klaus returns to the supernatural melting pot that is the French Quarter of New Orleans — a town he helped build centuries ago — and is reunited with his diabolical former protégé Marcel. The drama series is produced by Warner Bros. Television, CBS Television Studios and Alloy Entertainment and stars Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt, Phoebe Tonkin, Daniella Pineda, Charles Michael Davis, Leah Pipes and Danielle Campbell.
“With such an established and successful heritage, and US network credentials, The Originals is our biggest acquisition since V in 2010″, said Adam Collings, Channel Director of Syfy UK. “Its narrative is edgy and contemporary, and has something for fans of The Vampire Diaries and new viewers to the franchise, alike. We are hugely excited to be giving the world’s original vampires centre stage in our autumn line-up.”
While Jeffrey Schlesinger, President of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution, added: “Syfy is the perfect home for The Originals and we are certain not only will fans in the UK who have made The Vampire Diaries such an enormous hit embrace this new series, but new viewers will as well.”
The pick up of The Originals is arguably the channel’s highest profile acquisition in several years – certainly the first series from a broadcast network to land at Syfy UK since 2010 – and comes after the channel beat out other UK buyers who had bid on the series, with ITV2 understood to have been one of many interested in acquiring The Originals. It also comes as parent company Universal Networks International is increasing its spend in the UK market. That increased spend also saw sister channel Universal undergo a re-brand and acquire two high profile US shows: USA Network’s Graceland and Fox’s Sleepy Hollow.
TVWise’s Acquisitions Scorecard has been updated with this new information.
