Shine picks up rights to new Scandi drama Real Humans

News Corp-owned Shine Group has taken international rights to Real Humans, the latest dark drama series out of Scandinavia. It will sell the finished series and make an English-language version of the show, about a new generation of robots that are almost identical to humans.

The Swedish series is produced by Matador Films for Swedish public broadcaster SVT. Shine has inked a deal with both that gives it international rights to the finished series. Shine-owned producers Kudos (Hustle, Spooks) has taken the format rights as part of the agreement and will coproduce an English-language version of the series with Matador Films.

“I, and Matador Films are happy and inspired,” said creator Lars Lundström. “Real Humans opens up a unique and exciting world that we believe also will attract a broad international audience.”

The 10x60mins series, known locally as Äkta Människor, will debut ion SVT early next year. Set in a parallel present day in which robots have become so human it is barely possible to distinguish them from real people, the scripted series follows lives transformed by this new generation of ‘Hu-bots’.

“We are delighted to be able to collaborate this early with Matador to create new international versions of such an original and groundbreaking series,” says Kudos’ COO, Dan Isaacs. “It will be a huge hit when it launches next year and to be underway on the international development now is both a privilege and a huge advantage for us.”

“I am thrilled and happy about the deal”, says Stefan Baron, executive producer at SVT. “Real Humans will hopefully lead to more international collaborations in the future”.