ABC to develop two Endemol scripted formats

US network ABC is to develop two drama series with Endemol based on international scripted formats.

The Disney-owned broadcaster is to develop crime drama Penoza and adult comedy Spirited with Endemol and ABC Studios as part of its development slate for 2012.

Penoza is based on a Dutch series, which was written by Pieter Bart Korthuis that originally aired on Holland’s KRO. It tells the story of the widow of an assassinated criminal who adopts her dead husband’s position to protect her family. The US remake will be written by The Twilight Saga’s Melissa Rosenberg and will be exec produced by Alon Aranya and Howard Klein.

Spirited, meanwhile, tells the story of a divorced mother who finds herself in a relationship with the ghost of an 1980s English punk rock star. It was originally produced by Endemol-owned Southern Star for Australian pay broadcaster Foxtel and created by Claudia Karvan and Jacquelin Perske. The US version will be written by Desperate Housewives’ Chris Black and Ugly Betty’s Henry Alonso Myers.

Philippe Maigret, CEO of Endemol Studios, said: “We are thrilled to partner with ABC Studios and ABC to develop and produce some of Endemol Studios first scripted projects. It is enormously exciting that we have such rich material to bring the network from the Endemol teams in Australia and the Netherlands and we look forward to working with Melissa on Penoza, Chris and Henry on Spirited.”