A+E Media Group announced its partnership with London-based production company Raw (“The Imposter,” “American Animals,” “Tinder Swindler,” “Encounter”) on the scripted series “Influence”. Executive producers are Sara Murray and Dimitri Doganis for Raw and Patrick Vien, Alexandra Finlay, and Hannah Dal Pozzo for A+E Media Group.
Written by Thomas Martin (“Ripper Street”, “Tin Star”, Apple+’s upcoming “Prime Target,” and the feature film “The Surfer”), “Influence” is a twisting and turning modern thriller about a “Dadfluencer” who, after his child is kidnapped, is forced to examine every choice he’s made since first posting pictures of his family on social media. Like a contemporary Don Draper, Andrew Cosgrove has constructed the seemingly perfect life — and in the process, made his family an international brand. But when his youngest daughter, Sophie, is kidnapped, Andrew must reckon with his past, or else the decisions he’s made will come back to hurt those he loves. “Influence” is a social thriller about the choices we make and the making and breaking of a very modern family.
“We are thrilled to join Raw in bringing Thomas Martin’s exhilarating and impactful vision for 'Influence' to life,” said Alexandra Finlay, Vice President, International Scripted Co-Productions, A+E Media Group. “This is a deep examination of a modern family in crisis, telling a serial mystery that adds humor to dark emotional beats and perfectly represents A+E’s commitment to bringing bold, globally resonant stories to life.”
A spokesperson from Raw stated: “We are delighted to be developing this timely and gripping domestic thriller with the fantastic team at A+E Media Group. 'Influence' is a story about a family, but with truly global themes, and Thomas Martin’s storytelling offers fantastic surprises and insights at every turn.”
Thomas Martin added: “The inspiration for 'Influence' came when a friend lost his job and confided in me about a deep fear of how his family would see him now that his success was gone, and his need to rapidly regain that status. I recently became a father myself so while Influence is a fun and exciting mystery thriller — it’s also an exploration of the pressures, challenges and anxieties of being a man and a father in a rapidly changing world. I’m thrilled to be working with A+E Media Group and Raw, partners who back bold and original story-telling.”
Production of “Influence” comes on the heels of A+E Media Group’s increased investment in scripted co-productions in the global market. Earlier this year, A+E partnered with The European Alliance (France Télévisions, Rai Fiction Italy, and ZDF Germany) and Submarine (“Undone”; “Apollo 10 ½”, “Bellingcat: Truth in a Post-Truth World”) on “The Kollective” (6 x 60’), a gripping thriller about a group of intrepid young citizen journalists who, after a sudden tragedy, find themselves sucked into a globe-spanning web of government lies and corruption. The series will premiere across the European Alliance and Hulu (U.S.) in 2025; Videoland will premiere the series in the Netherlands.
A+E also recently partnered with Stockholm Syndrome and Endor Productions for a series adaptation of Tony Parsons’ novel “Your Neighbour’s Wife”, written by UK screenwriters Rebecca Pollock and Kas Graham, whose feature screenplay “Betty Ford” was on the 2019 Black List, with Ryan Murphy and Sarah Paulson attached to direct and star.