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A&E is looking to Mexico for its next drama.
The cable network is teaming with Amblin Television to adapt popular Mexican series Nino Santo, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
Based on the drama created by Mauricio Katz, Pedro Peirano and Pablo Cruz and executive produced by Cruz, Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, Nino Santo follows a group of young doctors sent to a remote village to vaccinate the locals, where they encounter an unusual cult headed by an enigmatic faith healer. The curiosity of the doctors leads them to become involved with this group in the name of science. As they witness Nino’s “miracles,” they begin to weigh scientific impossibility against the possibility of faith. The drama hails from A+E Studios, Amblin Television and Canana, the producers of the original series.
A&E has ordered multiple scripts for the project, which is being written by Katz (The Bridge) and Peirano (The Maid), who will exec produce alongside Canana’s Pablo Cruz (Cesar Chavez), Bernal, Amblin Television co-presidents Darryl Frank and Justin Falvey. Fringe and Lost alum Jeff Pinkner will exec produce and serve as showrunner should the project move forward.
“We are in constant pursuit of projects featuring great characters, compelling drama and the outstanding storytelling uniquely suited to the A&E brand, and Nino Santo fits all of those criteria,” A&E GM David McKillop said. “What sets this apart from other format adaptations is that we have the original creative team in place guiding the process to ensure their authentic vision remains intact for the American audience.”
Univision’s UniMas recently acquired the original series for a stateside broadcast.
For A&E, Nino Santo comes a few weeks after the cable network opted to cancel Longmire after three seasons. The series, starring Katee Sackhoff, was A&E’s No. 1 scripted show in history, but did not move forward partially because of its older viewership and cost as the series was produced by Warner Horizon. (The studio is currently shopping the series with the hopes of finding a new home for a fourth season.) The network currently has two scripted dramas: Bates Motel and its upcoming remake of French drama The Returned, both from EP Carlton Cuse.
For Amblin, meanwhile, Nino Santo becomes the banner’s latest drama in the works. The banner is also teaming with Fox for a Minority Report revival. Amblin currently has seven series on five different networks: ABC’s midseason drama The Whispers, CBS’ Dome and Extant, FX’s The Americans, TNT’s Falling Skies and upcoming Public Morals as well as Fox’s fall debut Red Band Society. The company also has TNT pilot Lumen in the works for a January shoot.
For his part, Pinkner was a co-showrunner on Fox’s Fringe. He’s also adapting Ghost for Paramount TV.
Email: Lesley.Goldberg@THR.com
Twitter: @Snoodit
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