Bell Media has acquired two new series from L.A.-based prodco Electric Entertainment and a second season of the crime drama Leverage: Redemption for its linear channels and streaming platform Crave.

The broadcaster has picked up the recently greenlit Syfy series The Ark, which will premiere day-and-date with the U.S. debut and is currently in production. The other new title is Almost Paradise (pictured), which aired on NewsNation (formerly WGN America) in spring 2021 and was renewed for a second season. Both series are created by producer Dean Devlin, while Gary Rosen is a co-creator on Almost Paradise.

Leverage: Redemption, a revival of the five-season TNT drama Leverage, aired on CTV Drama Channel in summer and fall 2021. The second season is currently in production. The deal was negotiated by Bell Media’s Brian Blazik, senior lead, content sales and acquisitions, and Electric Entertainment’s Nolan Pielak, SVP, international distribution.

FilmRise

New York-based streaming network FilmRise has acquired streaming rights to the iconic Canadian sketch series The Kids in the Hall in a deal with its original producer Broadway Video.

FilmRise has picked up the subscription-based and ad-supported VOD and FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV services) rights to all five seasons of the Emmy-nominated series, which ran from 1988 to 1995 on CBC and HBO. The deal was brokered by FilmRise’s Jonitha Keymoore, VP, global content acquisitions and Broadway Video Enterprises president Britta von Schoeler.

A revival of The Kids in the Hall was greenlit by Amazon’s Prime Video in 2020 with Scott Thompson, Kevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Dave Foley and Bruce McCulloch all returning for the new series. It was filmed in Toronto in 2021 and is expected to premiere later this year.

Cineflix Rights

CBC and Corus Entertainment are among the global broadcasters to acquire Irvine Welsh’s Crime, produced by Cineflix Media joint venture Buccaneer Media and Off Grid Film and TV.

U.K.-based distribution arm Cineflix Rights has sold the 12 x 60-minute series, created by the Trainspotting novelist, to CBC for English Canada and Corus for French Canada, as well as Ireland (RTE), Belgium (VRT), France (POLAR+ and CANAL+ Group), the Netherlands (NPO), Israel (Hot and Yes) and Germany (Magenta TV).

The series stars Dougray Scott as a detective battling his own demons as he solves dark crimes in Edinburgh. It was commissioned by Britbox and ITVX, which is available in Canada, the U.S., Australia and New Zealand.