Netflix Plans Three New Originals in Italy

The streamer is expanding its production in Southern Europe with a variety of new genre series.


Netflix is making a major investment in the Italian market with the announcement of three new original series.


The global streamer is expanding its genres in the country with a supernatural drama series, Curon; a young adult adaptation, Three Meters Above Heaven; and a drama adaptation of the award winning novel by Marco Missiroli, Fedelta (Loyalty).


Curon, from Indiana Production, is about a woman who returns to a mysterious village in Northern Italy where she grew up, only to find her past returning to haunt her and her teenage children. Suburra scribe Ezio Abbate is head writer on the series with writers Ivano Fachin, Giovanni Galassi and Tommaso Matano.


Three Meters Above Heaven, produced by Cattleya, tells the story of Sally and Ale, who come from different backgrounds, but are united by their love of motorcycle races along the Adriatic coast. The book trilogy by Federico Moccia has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide with Grand Central Publishing acquiring English-language rights to the series. Moccia's books have been compared to the works of popular authors Nicholas Sparks and John Green.


And Fedelta, set between Milan and Rimini, is the story of a young couple who must deal with the consequences of an alleged betrayal.


Netflix currently runs Italian series Suburra, a Rome-set mafia series, Baby, about a group of elite high school students who live a double life, and the football docuseries Juventus FC. Baby is now in production for its second season.


“Italy is a cradle of great storytellers and amazing talent, and our goal is to find those unique and local voices that can resonate with our global audience,” said Kelly Luegenbiehl, vp international original series for Europe and Africa, in a statement. “This new group of projects are all very different and will all be shot throughout Italy. We’re deeply committed to the Italian creative community — and to the creative vision of the partners we’re working with.”


The streamer has previously announced Renato De Maria’s drug-fueled gangster drama Lo Spietato (The Ruthless), starring Riccardo Scamarcio, Sara Serraiocco and Valentine Payen, from BIBI film with Rai Cinema. The film will be in Italian cinemas April 8-10 before debuting on Netflix on April 19.


They’re also working on three original stand-up comedy specials with Edoardo Ferrario, Francesco De Carlo and Saverio Raimondo. And they’re currently in production for TV series Luna Nera, from Fandango, about a group of women suspected of witchcraft in 17th century Italy, and a live-action adaptation of Winx Club, a popular Italian cartoon set in a high school for magical fairies on a mission to save the world.


Netflix has previously been criticized by the local industry for not doing enough to invest in Italy. Last year Netflix won several major awards in Venice, including the Golden Lion for Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma, leading to the government writing theatrical windows on Italian productions into law.