Televisa makes Dougray Scott thriller in English

Televisa is utilising a Mexico-Canada production treaty to produce Duality, a new English-language drama series starring Dougray Scott, TBI has learned.

The series is based on an original idea from Barry Schkolnick (The Good Wife and Law & Order) and Vancouver-based Oddysey Media will be the Canadian production partner.

Mexican media giant Televisa is making a major move into English-language drama, with Chris Philip, head of production and distribution for Televisa USA leading the charge.

Duality will star Scott, who will also exec produce, and Latino talent. The series will follow an elite, secret team of agents from the US State Department, the CIA and Mexican intelligence. Maintaining their secret identities, they will take on Latin America’s most dangerous villains in the action series, while also battling personal demons.

Chris Philip told TBI that the company will seek to harness its huge production capabilities and facilities in Latin America, as well as access to the group’s linear and digital channels, as Televisa USA ramps up production.

Televisa will work up original ideas, adapt existing international series and mine the broadcaster’s catalogue, according to Philip.

Philip, who will also exec produce Duality, said: “Our competitive advantage with unparalleled production capabilities and multi-platform networks gives us the scale to deliver the global market multiple high-quality series, and with creative casting we can target a powerful multicultural audience in the US.”

The series resulting from the production push will be aimed are aimed at the US and international markets. Duality will make use of the rarely-utilised Canada-Mexico copro treaty for the series.

Eduardo Clemesha, Televisa’s general director of new content and formats, added: “Televisa brings to this venture access to our award-winning producers and directors; the economies of scale of shooting in Mexico with Televisa’s facilities and crew; as well as the latitude to adapt formats from both Televisa’s massive library of formats and third-party rights holders.”