Steve Matthews


Adria success: HBO on building its first Croatian original

As HBO Europe begins work on its first Adria original, Success, TBI catches up with execs Steve Matthews and Antony Root on its plans for the region and feedback on how it’s evolving. Like many firsts currently coming out of the Balkan region, HBO is looking to create the territory’s first high-end drama to match […]

HBO unveils first Scandi original

Swedish filmmaker Lukas Moodysson will create HBO Europe’s first original series out of Scandinavia. Scripted series Gösta (WT) will be a “mix of comedy and Dostoevsky”, according Moodysson, who will write and direct all eight episodes. HBO Nordic, which is part of HBO Europe, has been searching for its first original series out of Scandinavia […]

HBO pushes further into CEE originals with hire

HBO Europe is pushing further into original programming in the Central and Eastern Europe region by hiring a new development exec. Ana Balentovic (pictured) will work within HBO Adria, a subsidiary of HBO Europe operating within the Balkan region, which itself is part of US premium pay TV giant HBO. The former RTL Televizija and […]

HBO Europe expands originals strategy

HBO Europe has extended its strategy of working up local originals and is developing new drama series from Croatia and Serbia. At last year’s Sarajevo Film Festival it unveiled plans to make originals out of the Adria region (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Macedonia and Montenegro), and has now selected its first projects: crime […]

Berlinale: HBO Europe ups originals trio in rejig

HBO Europe has given more responsibility to a trio of executives as part of a regional restructuring. Jonathan Young, Steve Matthews and Hanka Kastelicova have all been upped to VP roles at the European arm of US premium cable channel HBO following expansion into Spain and the Nordics. News of the promotions comes as HBO […]

HBO Europe hires drama exec

HBO’s European production group has hired its first London-based executive, who will work on its growing drama output. Steve Matthews is joining HBO Europe as executive producer, drama development at the HBO Europe Original Productions unit. He will be based in London, but work with HBO Europe production bases in Poland, Hungary, Czech Republic and […]