Warner Bros. Discovery's Max streaming service is looking to serve audiences in Spain with a mix of original drama series, documentaries and entertainment shows, a top executive from the entertainment giant said during a session at the Iberseries conference and market & Platinum Industry in Madrid on Tuesday.
Alberto Carullo, vice president of local original production Iberia & Italia at Warner Bros. Discovery, appeared at the Spanish and Portuguese language TV conference and market in the Spanish capital on Tuesday.
When asked to highlight some of the 12 Spanish originals that the company says are in various stages of production or development, he started with Enrique Urbizu's crime thriller When no one sees usMax's first Spanish original, premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival. The show is led by the two female protagonists – Magaly Castillo, a lieutenant in the US military police, who arrives at the Air Force base, and Lucía Gutiérrez, a colonel in the Spanish Civil Guard – who team up to solve a series of crimes.
From Zeta Studios (Elite) and based on a novel by Sergio Sarria, the show kicks off during the Spanish Easter week, known for its processions. The series stars Maribel Verdú (Pan's Labyrinth, The Flash) as Gutiérrez and Mariela Garriga (Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning II) like Castillo. Austin Amelio (The walking dead), Ben Temple (30 coins) AND Dani Rovira (Spanish affair) complete the cast.
Carullo also publicized a documentary series about 13 women's experiences with Opus Dei, the Catholic organization founded in Spain in 1928 by a priest whose mission was to help members seek Christian “perfection.”
From the Spanish journalist Mònica Terribas, El Minuto Heroico: Yo También Dejé El Opus Dei (The heroic minute: I too left Opus Dei) also features actress Claudia Traisac in recreations based on the experiences shared by the women.
Carullo, who was previously responsible for drama production at Warner Bros. International Television Production for Spain and Portugal, said that in addition to fiction and documentaries, Max in Spain also bets on entertainment formats, such as popular reality shows Beijing Express.
“Spain values local content. Content is at the heart of what we do,” the Max executive added. “We want happy subscribers. This is our goal and why we focus on local content.”
The first day of Iberseries also featured an appearance by Paz Vega, a segment for Walt Disney Spain, former Lionsgate executive Paul Presburger and more.