US entertainment firm, Sony Pictures Television (SPT), has signed a first-look deal with Mo Abudu’s EbonyLife Media.
Variety reports that the two-year deal covers development of scripted African TV series for a global audience.
The deal, which has started since January, will have Sony Pictures get a first look at the new EbonyLife-controlled scripted television projects created, originated, or developed by EbonyLife but targeted at broader audiences.
Speaking on the partnership, Executive Vice-President, Global Scripted Development and Programming, Sony Pictures Television, Nina Lederman, said: “We are delighted to be broadening our relationship with Mo and the team at EbonyLife, who have created some of the most compelling and successful content in all of Africa.”
On her part, Mo Abudu said: “It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Sony Pictures Television over the last few years, and we are so pleased to be deepening our partnership with them.
“Taking African storytelling to global audiences is something we are very passionate about, and this new opportunity with Sony gives us a chance to reach massive audiences worldwide with our scripted TV series.”
This is the second deal SPT is doing with EbonyLife, following a three-project co-development/production partnership in 2018.
The first project announced as part of that deal was a series inspired by the story of the Dahomey Warriors.
Recall that American streaming giant, Netflix had, in June 2020, partnered with Abudu for the movie adaptation of books by Nigerian Playwright and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, and Novelist Lola Shoneyin.
