Entertainment One Television, Shaw Media and France’s TF1 have joined forces to develop and produce Ransom, a series co-created by Frank Spotnitz and David Vainola.

Ransom is based on the real-life story of private crisis negotiator Laurent Combalbert. Spotnitz will serve as executive producer on the series.

Ransom will be produced by Sienna Films’ Jennifer Kawaja and Julia Sereny (Combat Hospital), and Valerie Pechels and Odile McDonald under their new Wild Cat Productions company. Spotnitz will also serve as producer under his own prodco, Big Light Productions.

Veteran producer Spotnitz is known for his work on the long-running X Files TV series (showrunning for four of his eight-season run with the series). Recently, he was named showrunner for Canada-France copro Transporter: The Series, and has also worked on Hunted, Strike Back, and Night Stalker. Credits Vainola has to his name include Diamonds and Combat Hospital.

Photo: Frank Spotnitz (2009) via Eleanore Studer / Shutterstock.com