A few weeks after Czech broadcaster Prima began transmission of its own localized version of DRG’s scripted format Black Widows, the distributor announced a new deal for the popular black comedy with STB in Ukraine.

Already into pre-production, the 12 x 60’ Ukrainian version is being made for STB by affiliate StarLightMedia Productions. Based on the original series from Finland, which ran to two seasons and 24 hours, it will be the sixth international remake following existing versions in Estonia, Lithuania, the Middle East, Mexico, Scandinavia and the aforementioned Czech Republic.

In addition, the series is currently under license to Zespa Media in China and has also been optioned by Big Synergy in India.

Black Widows was created by Roope Lehtinen and Mikko Polla (now of Fire Monkey, then Moskito) for Finnish broadcaster Nelonen. Winner of three Finnish Venla Awards in 2014 and an International Gold Panda Award for best TV drama, it tells a darkly comic story of three best friends who try to kill their husbands. It doesn’t all quite go to plan; one of the men survives and looks set on revenge. The women’s friendship and mutual trust is then put to the test as their lives get ever more complicated and they do what they can to stay alive.

Adam Barth, DRG’s commercial director comments: “We are thrilled that Black Widows continues its march and is now being re-made locally in the Ukraine. Its huge success as a scripted format is down to a clever yet simple idea, one that that is instantly relatable and covers universal themes in a compelling way. And of course it is incredibly well written.”

“At a time when everyone is looking for the big new drama, Black Widows serves as a brilliant reminder that great scripted content can be found in many countries around the world, not just the US and US”. Sometimes the cultural nuances or perspective of another territory can put a unique take on a storyline and, as with this series, really deliver an idea that proves fresh and exciting – in addition to it already being tried and tested.“

DRG has a successful track record in striking format deals for titles in its drama catalogue. In recent years, British title Doc Martin has been adapted in Germany, France, Greece, The Netherlands, Spain and the Czech Republic/Slovakia – with a spin-off, Constable Topinka, in the latter, while Shameless has been remade in the US and Turkey. Norwegian dramas Eyewitness and Mammon have both been adapted internationally: the former in the US, Romania and France, with the latter in the Czech Republic. Finnish crime drama Easy Living has been adapted in Hungary, and Australian title Small Time Gangster has been remade in Romania.