Yahoo Lifestyle Wild Bunch TV’s Sci-Fi Thriller Series ‘Arcadia’ Sells to 17 Territories for Season 2 (EXCLUSIVE)
Wild Bunch TV’s “Arcadia,” a high-concept sci-fi thriller series, will return for a second season across 17 territories.
The series, produced by Banijay Entertainment’s Belgian banner Jonnydepony, is set in a near-future, in a society where citizens’ rights and entitlements are determined by their scores.
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“Arcadia” follows a “family of hardworking people with a high score and a good life, that is, until the authoritarian regime discovers father, Pieter, tricked the algorithm and manipulated the score of one of his daughters. As a result, he is deported outside Arcadia and the scores of the family members are lowered, changing their lives for good,” the synopsis reads.
“Arcadia” was penned by Bas Adriaensen (“Blackout”), Zita Theunynck and Philippe De Schepper, who is also showrunner. Belgian director Joël Vanhoebrouck, whose credits include “Homegrown,” “Blackout” and “The Infiltrator,” will direct Season 2, taking over from Dutch director Tim Oliehoek who helmed season one. The cast is led by Lynn Van Royen (“Beau Séjour,” “Tabula Rasa”), Maarten Heijmans (an Emmy winner for “Ramses”) and Monic Hendrickx (“Heirs of the Night”).
Now in post, Season 2 of “Arcadia” is expected to launch in 2025 and will air in the co-producing countries, including in Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, as well as in Australia, France, Spain, Russia, Indonesia, Greece, the UK, Ireland, Poland, the Czech Republic, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Austria and German-speaking Switzerland. All these broadcasters and TV networks had bought season one. The latter, which began airing in 2023, delivered a strong performance, averaging 24.8% market share on KRO-NCRV in the Netherlands.
“The popularity of ‘Arcadia’ in so many countries, demonstrates the resonance this series has with audiences around the world, and it is also generating significant interest from international producers as a scripted format,” said Helen Perquy, Jonnydepony producer. “Our dystopian themes seem more and more reflective of current times, with the setting of a society existing on limited resources and the concept of social scores becoming a reality for many.”
“In an increasingly polarizing world, it is so important for producers to keep telling these kinds of stories,” Perquy continued.
“Arcadia” is produced by Jonnydepony, and is a collaboration between VRT and KRO-NCRV (NPO), in co-production with WDR/SWR/NDR (ARD).
The series was created with the support of the Flemish Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Screen Flanders, Beside Tax Shelter, the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian Federal Government, Creative Europe MEDIA and Wild Bunch.
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