Paramount Television and Telefe, a recent acquisition of Viacom, announced today that they will team up to develop the one-hour, multi-lingual drama CAZADORES, created by journalist-turned-TV writer Jason George ("Narcos"). George will also serve as Executive Producer alongside Diego Piasek on behalf of Telefe.
Based on recently declassified documents, CAZADORES (Hunters) centers on the true, dramatic thriller of the men and women who made it their mission to track down the Nazi high command that fled to South America after WWII. The serialized cable drama begins as a World War is ending and a Cold War is beginning. Yet the hunters, many of whom had personally suffered under the Nazi regime, refuse to forget the crimes of the Third Reich.
CAZADORES follows these men and women, hailing from more than 10 countries, as they work in secret, and often in hostile territory. They must quickly learn to navigate a new, shifting world, where old allies are now enemies. An estimated 9,000 Nazis, including dozens of SS officers, escaped to South America via so-called "ratlines," or escape networks set up by Nazi sympathizers, who were aided, at times, by the Vatican and U.S. intelligence. The hunters' targets include Josef Mengele, the Auschwitz physician known as the "Angel of Death;" Adolf Eichmann, considered by many to be the architect of the Holocaust; Klaus Barbie, aka "The Butcher of Lyon" and Herberts Cukurs.
Jason George is a journalist turned TV/Film writer whose most recent credits include the critically acclaimed
Netflix series "Narcos," which just wrapped its third season. George grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and previously wrote for Chicago Tribune and The New York Times.
"We are excited to have Telefe as part of the Viacom family. Their unmatched leadership in Argentina's high-growth market and their on-the-ground knowledge of this fascinating moment in history, will allow for factual, unique and culturally-immersive elements within the series," said Amy Powell, President, Paramount TV. "With their help and Jason's journalistic lens informing his multifaceted storytelling, audiences can expect a compelling and eventful re-telling of this very real story."
"We are thrilled to be working with Paramount Television on this project which will bring attention to this noteworthy story, as told by the talented storyteller Jason George," added Pierluigi Gazzolo, President of Telefe's managing company, Viacom International Media Networks - Americas. "This development deal is testament to Telefe's ability to create compelling content that travels the world and solidifies Viacom's commitment to growing Telefe's global presence via intercompany co-development projects such as this, as well as with distribution of their vast portfolio of hit formats."
Paramount Television is behind several hit series including the 5 Emmy® Award winning live musical event "Grease: Live;" the espionage drama from New York Times best-selling spy novelist Olen Steinhauer, "Berlin Station," currently airing on
EPIX and in production on season two; the Emmy® nominated hit series "School of Rock," which was recently picked up for a third season on Nickelodeon; "Shooter," starring Ryan Philippe from executive producers Mark Wahlberg and Stephen Levinson, currently airing on
USA and picked up for a second season; "13 Reasons Why", based on the New York Times bestselling YA book by Jay Asher, directed by Oscar® winner Tom McCarthy and written by Pulitzer Prize® winner Brian Yorkey who will executive produce along with Selena Gomez and McCarthy; the highly-anticipated series Tom Clancy's "Jack Ryan" for Amazon, starring John Krasinski and executive produced by Carlton Cuse, Graham Roland, Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes and Skydance Television; and the thrilling period drama "The Alienist" for TNT, based on the best-selling novel from Caleb Carr, directed and executive produced by Jakob Verbruggen along with executive producers Emmy Award® winner Cary Fukunaga, Academy Award® winner Eric Roth, Academy Award® nominee Hossein Amini and Anonymous Content's Steve Golin and Rosalie Swedlin.
Telefe has solidified its position as one of the most important and renowned Spanish-speaking production hubs, developing content with a strong focus on international distribution and recently opening an office in Los Angeles. In the last few years, Telefe has made co-development alliances with several highly regarded international production companies, growing and increasing its value through its most important assets: ideas and know-how in the production of contents. As a recent addition to the Viacom family, Telefe will now further expand its original formats and content distribution to global markets.
George is represented by ICM Partners, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment and Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown.
