Normal People goes global as multiple international sales confirmed for hit drama
The TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s love story of Marianne and Connell is going global with Endeavor Content landing multiple international sales for the smash hit Normal People.
According to a report in the US-based 'Variety', Endeavor Content has unveiled a large number of international deals for the Dublin based Element Pictures produced drama.
The report confirms that the Lionsgate-owned international streamer Starzplay has bought exclusive rights to the adaptation of the Co Mayo native’s novel for Germany, Austria, Spain, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Latin America and Japan.
Endeavor Content has also sold the critically acclaimed production to TV companies in multiple other territories including Australia, Canada), Denmark, Greece, Cyprus and Malta, Iceland, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Russia and CIS and Sweden.
Element Pictures' production of ‘Normal People’ was one of the big winners in movie tax reliefs granted by Revenue last year.
Figures released by the Revenue Commissioners show that Element Pictures Productions Ltd secured Section 481 tax relief for the TV adaptation of the international best seller of between €2m and €5m.
The mounting success of Normal People follows a rich vein of success for Element Pictures on the big screen through the multi award winning, The Favourite, ‘Room’ and 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ which was a breakout hit for young Dublin actor, Barry Keoghan.
The Element Pictures team that produced Normal People is already working on producing Ms Rooney’s debut novel, Conversations with Friends.
On the impact of the TV series, a spokeswoman for RTE stated last week: “We are only halfway through the hit series and Normal People is already setting records on RTÉ and worldwide.
She stated: “The response and reaction has been hugely positive so far and the figures speak for themselves with almost 1.5 million streams on RTÉ Player. We’re proud to show the beautiful story about Connell and Marianne on RTÉ, particularly at a time that people at home need some entertainment and escapism."
The third instalment of Normal People (eps 5 & 6) last week on RTE had an average overnight figure of 343,000 live viewers on television with a 40% share for 15-34s and 39% share for over 55s.
On viewer feedback, the spokesman stated that there were no formal complaints made to RTÉ in relation to Normal People.
She stated however: “We received 49 pieces of feedback from the public (via email and phone) to date expressing unhappiness and disappointment with the content of the show. There were eight positive pieces of feedback. It is worth noting that there has been a hugely positive response from our viewers on social media.”
Trinity College features prominently in the work of Sally Rooney and a spokeswoman for TCD stated: “Trinity is thrilled at the success of its talented alumnus Sally Rooney and happy to see such global recognition for the TV adaptation of Normal People, which was not only partly filmed on campus, but was also directed by a Trinity graduate in Lenny Abrahamson.”
She stated that the TV series “has showcased the talents of so many gifted students from The Lir Academy. We are delighted that, through this show, Trinity's campus has been introduced to such a large TV audience”.
