ProTV acquired the two series for the Romanian market, while TV2 acquired Montecristo for Hungary.
TelevisaUnivision, the leading Spanish-language media and content company in the world, announced that ProTV acquired two ViX Original series for the Romanian market: Montecristo, starring William Levy, and Volver a caer, produced by and starring Kate del Castillo alongside Maxi Iglesias.
In addition, TV2 Group acquired Montecristo as part of an extended deal for the Hungary market.
ProTV will air Montecristo and Volver a caer on Acasă, a channel that features a diverse slate of international dramas and romantic movies, while TV2 Group will air Montecristo on its telenovela channel Izaura TV. These agreements are part of a long-standing partnership between the broadcast companies and TelevisaUnivision, helping consolidate ViX Originals’ position in these key markets.
“We take great pride in the distribution success of ViX Original Series and are excited about the opportunity to strengthen our ties with crucial local strategic partners such as ProTV in Romania and TV2 Group in Hungary,” said Guillermo Borensztein, SVP of International Content Licensing and Co-Production. And added: “Our aim is to establish a robust global track record for ViX Original productions.”
Montecristo is a modern take on the literary classic The Count of Montecristo by Alexandre Dumas that tells the story of Alejandro Montecristo (William Levy,) an enigmatic figure who bursts into the public eye and raises concerns amongst the elites because the origin of his fortune and his past are unknown. Montecristo is the founder and CEO of a new technology company that has incited the envy and interest of many, including Fernando Alvarez Mondego (Roberto Enríquez,) a businessman connected to the Spanish aristocracy who wants to acquire the Montecristo startup. What Fernando doesn’t know is that Montecristo is someone he knew decades ago and the reason for his sudden appearance in his life is fueled purely by revenge.
The six-episode series also features performances by Esmeralda Pimentel(High Heat) as Haydée Hernández, Montecristo’s right-hand woman and expert hacker; Juan Fernández (El Cid) as the aristocrat and Spanish ambassador in Havana, Cristóbal Herrera; Silvia Abascal (Asombrosa Elisa) as Mercedes Herrera, daughter of the Spanish ambassador in Havana; Itziar Atienza (Wrong Side of the Tracks) as the Cuban lawyer Helena Vilaforte; Guiomar Puerta (Estoy Vivo) as Alba Mondego, the daughter of Mercedes and Fernando; and Franky Martin (‘Wrong Side of the Tracks) as Jackie, Montecristo’s chauffeur and go-to guy.
The TV adaptation created by Lidia Fraga (Método Criminal) and Jacobo Díaz (Método Criminal) is directed by Alberto Ruiz-Rojo (Templanza / The Vineyard). The series is produced by David Martinez, Ángela Agudo, David Cotarelo and executive produced by Secuoya Studios and Sergio Pizzolante. William Levy and his producing partner Jeff Goldberg also served as executive producers.
Volver a caer, the drama series was produced by Kate del Castillo with Carmen Cervantes and the Cholawood team and Endemol Shine Boomdog. In this story of love, betrayal, happiness and loss, Kate del Castillo plays the lead role of Anna Montes de Oca, an Olympic gold medal-winning diver and Mexican national heroine who has an affair with a young musician played by Maxi Iglesias (Valeria). She embarks on a journey of self-discovery, which society unfortunately does not accept.
The six-episode ViX Original series is a contemporary version of Leon Tolstoy’s classic book Anna Karenina, one of literature’s greatest love stories, and is based on the 2015 adaptation by Endemol Shine Australia, another Banijay subsidiary. Volver a caer also stars Rubén Zamora (Buscando a Frida [The Search for Frida]), Martín Altomaro (Manual Para Galanes [Gentleman’s Manual]), Edwarda Gurrola (Señorita 89 [Miss 89]), Lucía Gómez Robledo (Cómo Sobrevivir Soltero [How to Survive Being Single]) and Daniel Tovar (Mirreyes VS Godínez).
