Televisa Greenlights English-Language Series Including Spy Thriller ‘Duality’ Starring Dougray Scott

Mexico’s Grupo Televisa has greenlighted multiple English-language series that take advantage of the 1991 Mexican-Canadian tax treaty for scripted series. The first show under the new initiative is Duality, starring Dougray Scott (Hemlock Grove), which debuts at MIPCOM. The plan is for each series to feature globally recognized talent, both from English-speaking and Latino markets, to help land U.S. networks which are courting English-speaking U.S. Hispanic viewers.

Based on an original story from writer-producer Barry Schkolnick (The Good Wife), Duality is about an elite, top-secret team of State Department, CIA and Mexican intelligence agents within Mexico who wage war against the world’s most dangerous villains operating in Latin America.

Chris Philip, Head of Production and Distribution for Televisa USA, which specializes in English-language programming; Jorge Aragon (A La Mala); Eduardo Clemesha, Televisa´s General Director of New Content and Formats; Odyssey film and television producer Kirk Shaw (The Hurt Locker); and Scott will executive produce.

“Our competitive advantage with unparalleled production capabilities and multi-platform networks gives us the scale to deliver the global market multiple high-quality series, and with creative casting we can target a powerful multicultural audience in the U.S., “said Televisa USA’s Philip.

Added Televisa’s Clemesha, “Televisa brings to this venture access to our award-winning producers and directors; the economies of scale of shooting in Mexico with Televisa’s facilities and crew; as well as the latitude to adapt formats from both Televisa’s massive library of formats and third-party rights holders.”

The co-production treaties with the Canadian government, signed by 53 countries, including Mexico, allows producers and talent from each country to co-finance, develop and appear in film and TV projects that are creatively and economically advantageous for both partners.