‘Searching for Sugarman’ Firm Signs ‘Planet Earth II’ Showrunner; Netflix Explores UFO-Inspired Religion; Blackpink Singer In Prime Video Korea Series — Global Briefs

By Jesse Whittock, Max Goldbart

January 24, 2024 3:41am

‘Searching for Sugarman’ Producer Passion Signs ‘Planet Earth II’ Showrunner

Searching for Sugarman producer Passion Pictures has snapped up the showrunner of Planet Earth II from Plimsoll. Tom Hugh-Jones will boost Passion’s natural history offering and be based in Bristol, taking on the new title of MD Passion Planet (Bristol). He has a wealth of major natural history credits including Planet Earth, Human Planet and Life Story across a 30-year career, while he most recently helmed A Real Bug’s Life for Disney+, which launches today. “Planet Earth II and Tiny World are two of my favourite natural history series of all time,” said Passion CEO Nick Southgate. “The chance to work with the showrunner of these extraordinary pieces of TV was a no-brainer. I can’t wait to dig in with Tom and Dave and create a new era of intelligent, big wildlife shows.”

Netflix Explores UFO-Inspired Religion

Netflix has ordered a four-part doc from Banijay France label KM about a controversial UFO-inspired religion that spiralled into a cult. Raël: The Alien Prophet will delve into Raëlism, a movement founded by Claude Vorilhun (also known as Raël). “Featuring interviews with his followers, critics, and Raël himself, it will explore the sources of belief and contradictions behind this movement and ways it has evolved over the last five decades,” said Catherine Alvaresse, CEO at KM. Alvaresse’s company is behind recently-announced Canal+ doc Révélation on Karl Lagerfeld and produces Arte daily series 28 Minutes, which averages a peak audience of 1M viewers.

Blackpink Singer Fronts Prime Video Korea Reality Series

JENNIE, the Blackpink singer, is among the stars of Prime Video reality-variety series Apartment404, which now has a global launch date of February 23. The eight-episode show will also feature Korean stars stars comedian and presenter Yu Jae Seok, actor Cha Tae Hyun, actress Oh Na Ra, comedian Yang Se Chan and emerging actor Lee Jung Ha. It is set in an apartment building where the six residents trace the truth behind extraordinary events that occur, splitting into two teams of three, along with special guests, to compete against each other. Producing director Jeong Cheol-min, who has worked on hit variety programs including Sixth Sense and Running Man, is leading the series.