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Sony’s Huaso cuts remaking NBC comedy for China

Sony Pictures Television-backed Chinese prodco Huaso Film has struck a deal with its counterpart Croton Media to make a local version of Mad About You, the US comedy series that aired on NBC in the 1990s.

No broadcaster was announced, but Huaso and Croton are teaming with HuaCheng Pictures, which is a subsidiary of state broadcast channel CCTV 6.

Sony has struck several scripted format deals – working on local versions of Breaking Bad in Latin America for example.

It has also struck deals to remake comedy series including Everybody Loves Raymond, The King of Queens and The Jeffersons, but the Mad About You agreement marks the first time it will have remade a comedy for the Asian market.

The original show follows a pair of New York newlyweds balancing work, life and love in the big city. It was produced by Sony, which also distributes the series internationally.

Huaso and Croton are casting for the leads for the Chinese version, which is set to enter production in early 2015.

“We have chosen to co-produce a local version of Mad About You in China because we believe this story about a young couple trying to balance their lives in the big city will be especially relevant to local audiences,” said Dai Huang, SPT’s executive director, sales, international distribution and acting executive director, international production, Asia.

Huaso has previously remade SPT shows including Dr. Oz, Raid the Cage and Dancing Nation.