It was announced today that WOWOW, Japan's leading premium pay TV broadcaster, has closed a deal with Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) to commission and co-produce a local-language version of the hit Jerry Bruckheimer Television-produced series COLD CASE.
WOWOW, through its branded original drama series label DRAMA W, will co-produce the new version of "Cold Case" together with WBITVP. Ten episodes have already been commissioned by WOWOW and WBITVP, and are slated for premiere on WOWOW this October.
The deal marks the first time that a local-language version of "Cold Case" will be produced for audiences outside of the U.S., where it was one of the top shows on
CBS for seven seasons (2003-2010) and was called "an outstanding crime drama" by The Washington Post.
The original show, created by Meredith Stiehm, was set in Philadelphia and followed Detective Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris starred in the U.S. version), a homicide detective with the Philadelphia Police Department who specializes in "cold cases," or investigations which are no longer actively pursued by the department.
Following similar story angles, the Japanese version of "Cold Case" will be directed by Takafumi Hatano (director of hit Japanese series "SP Series"), with Yamada Kosuke ("Thin Godzilla") serving as the director of photography. Writers on the show include Takahisa Zeze, Yasuhiro Yoshida, Ryuta Hourai and Hiroshi Hayashi.
WOWOW has aired all of the original U.S. English-language episodes of "Cold Case," which have garnered strong ratings and cultivated a devout fan base throughout Japan that appreciates the show's style, pace, tone and storytelling.
Commenting on the deal, WOWOW President Akira Tanaka said, "Our intentions are to offer WOWOW subscribers the highest quality television series and 'Cold Case' is a perfect example of our approach in doing so. We look to find the best partners, like Warner Bros. International Television Production, and find a way to work together to create something special for our audience. We believe we are achieving this with 'Cold Case' in Japan and look forward to introducing this spectacular new series this October."
Andrew Zein, Senior Vice President, Creative, Format Development & Sales, at WBITVP said, "Warner Bros. is delighted that WOWOW has identified 'Cold Case' as being the ideal scripted format to adapt for the Japanese audience."
The deal continues to solidify WOWOW's standing as a leader in Japanese broadcasting, raising the bar in not only delivering the hottest new programming from Hollywood studios but also creating quality original content for viewers.
WOWOW produces the highest quality original content and will again be using the most advanced technology in making "Cold Case." The series will be shot on HDR's newest RED camera, WEAPON, marking the first time the camera will be used for a television series in Japan. This is WOWOW's second 4K HDR TV series production following the DRAMA W "Stars in the Deep," which aired last fall.
About WOWOW WOWOW is Japan's leading premium pay TV broadcaster with approximately 2.7 million subscribers and the first 24/7, 3 channel, full-HD broadcaster in Japan. With a focus on quality entertainment and exceptional customer service, WOWOW has seen nine years of continuous net growth in subscribers. As of July 2011, all of the company's subscribers are now on a digital subscription, which includes access to WOWOW's groundbreaking Members On Demand service.
Listed in the First Section of the Tokyo Stock exchange, WOWOW's subscription offering includes 3 premium Full-HD channels and a streaming service:
WOWOW Prime covers a wide range of genres, including 7 popular overseas TV drama series per week along with our original series, movies, and documentaries. WOWOW Prime is also the official channel for the live broadcasts of both the Oscars and the
GRAMMY AWARDS in Japan.
WOWOW Live brings exclusive live broadcasts of the world's greatest sports events along with live concerts and stage performances. Sports featured on WOWOW Live include the NBA, La Liga Española, LPGA, and more. Additionally, WOWOW Live broadcasts all four tennis Grand Slam Championships including the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open.
WOWOW Cinema carries titles from all major studios and a lineup of approximately 1400 movie titles from all over the world. WOWOW Cinema provides an experience to the world of cinema through a selective collection of movies.
WOWOW Members On Demand offers subscribers the ability to view our quality programming anywhere and anytime. The streaming service features live events and sports as well as popular series and movies
WOWOW aspires to become a channel where viewers can always encounter something they had never experienced, and by doing so transform the role of television from something that is viewed passively, to a place where new and exciting encounters can be expected.
About Warner Bros. International Television Production Warner Bros. International Television Production (WBITVP) aims to establish or acquire production companies in major television territories around the world in order to become a leading producer of local scripted and non-scripted programming.
In those territories where WBITVP establishes a production base, it operates by developing and producing original programming and also producing local versions of formats owned and controlled by the Warner Bros. Television Group, such as "The Bachelor," "500 Questions," "Impractical Jokers" and "Who Do You Think You Are?." Where WBITVP has no local production capability, it licenses Warner Bros. formats to third parties.
WBITVP has already taken significant steps by acquiring a majority stake in both U.K. production group Shed Media, one of the U.K.'s largest and most successful independent production companies, which operates both in the U.K. and the U.S., and in BlazHoffski Holding B.V., a leading independent television producer in the Netherlands and Belgium. In 2014, Shed Media Group was re-branded as Warner Bros. Television Productions UK. Also, in 2014, Warner Bros. Television Group acquired Eyeworks' businesses outside the US, in 15 countries across Europe, South America, Australia and New Zealand, adding 13 new territories to its international network of production companies with the majority of those territories now Warner Bros. branded, to further strengthens WBITVP's capabilities.
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