Pierluigi Gazzolo, President of Studios & Streaming at ViacomCBS Networks International
ViacomCBS International Studios announced an agreement with Miramax to co-produce “The Turkish Detective,” a detective series set in modern-day Istanbul based on the CWA Silver Dagger Winning 21-novel series titled “The Cetin Ikmen Crime Novels” by Barbara Nadel. The deal marks the first co-production between VIS and Miramax, the global film and television studio that is jointly owned by beIN Media Group and ViacomCBS, which acquired a stake in December 2019.
“The Turkish Detective” is based on the 21 novels series and depicts the lead character, Inspector Cetin Ikmen, and his partner, Mehmet Suleyman, solving crimes and experiencing euphoric highs and tragic lows. Each crime story in the series is heavily rooted in the rich and varied culture and history of Istanbul and set against the vibrant, dazzling and frenzied world of modern-day Turkey.
Jill Offman will serve as executive producer. This will be her first project since leaving her role as Executive Vice President of ViacomCBS International Studios UK in May. Production will begin in Spring 2021 in Istanbul. Each episode will be 60-minutes, and the series will be developed as a global product that will be sold to a third-party.
"Miramax has a longstanding reputation for award-winning, creative productions. By partnering with Miramax to produce ‘The Turkish Detective,’ VIS will continue to deliver on its commitment to create the best content for all platforms around the world,” said Pierluigi Gazzolo, President of Studios & Streaming at ViacomCBS Networks International.
“Barbara Nadel is a terrific writer, and her page-turning novels combine beautifully honed storytelling that is at once captivating, colourful and imbued with a distinctly authentic sense of place. I am thrilled that we are partnering with VIS to bring this hugely successful series to a global audience,” added Marc Helwig, Head of Worldwide Television at Miramax.