‘The Irishman’ Producer Gaston Pavlovich Inks Deal With Endemol (EXCLUSIVE)

Anna Marie de la Fuente

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“The Irishman” producer Gaston Pavlovich and his Mexico City-based production company Fabrica de Cine have inked an overall development and production deal with Endemol Shine Boomdog, the Mexican outpost of Endemol Shine North America.

The deal comes as “The Irishman” opens the Los Cabos International Film Festival on Wednesday. The screening marks the Latin American premiere of Martin Scorsese’s Netflix-backed mob drama, starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci.

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Under the deal, the companies will develop and produce scripted TV drama series aimed at both Spanish- and English-language audiences. The first joint project centers on the story of arts patron, pioneering writer and women’s rights activist Antonieta Rivas Mercado, and the fascinating and turbulent times of early 20th-century Mexico.

Fabrica de Cine has been developing the series for about two years. “We discovered more letters written by her and about her as well as diaries, which we are using to inform the series,” said Pavlovich, who announced his intention to produce high-end TV content at Los Cabos two years ago.

He estimates that “Antonieta” will run between seven to 13 episodes, subject to agreement with Endemol Shine Boomdog. “It will be shot in the original language: 65% in Spanish and the rest in English and French,” he said.

“Gaston is one of the leading film producers in the world today, and we are thrilled that he’s bringing his cinematic vision to join us in producing dramatic television series,” said Endemol Shine Boomdog CEO Alejandro Rincon, adding that the two parties had been in talks for at least the past six months. “We’ve admired each other’s work for some time now,” Rincon told Variety.

“I’ve long admired the position Endemol Shine Boomdog has earned on the world stage,” Pavlovich said. “Their passion in reaching the international viewer is remarkable, and one that coincides with my vision of taking the most powerful stories to as wide a global audience as possible.”

The 2-year-old company has continued to ramp up its programming production, both scripted and unscripted, in a bid to meet the insatiable demand for premium content worldwide. The growing presence of giant streaming services in Latin America, led by Netflix, has fueled premium-content production in the region.

Endemol Shine Boomdog has also signed overall deals with actress Kate del Castillo (“La Reina del Sur”), who has agreed to develop, produce and star in original scripted and unscripted series, and with award-winning producer Marie Leguizamo (“La Voz Kids”) to produce unscripted series in English and Spanish.

“The Irishman” is Pavlovich’s second collaboration with Scorsese, following the Oscar-nominated “Silence,” starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver, which Pavlovich also produced. Oscar buzz is swirling even more intensely for “The Irishman.”

Pavlovich’s other film credits include “The Professor and the Madman,” toplined by Mel Gibson and Sean Penn; Jennifer Morrison’s directorial debut, “Sun Dogs”; and the Tom Hanks-starrer “Hologram for the King.”

Fabrica de Cine is currently in development with Netflix on a remake of “Harvey,” the 1950 classic starring Jimmy Stewart. Slated to shoot next April or May is “Bonita,” the Mexican remake of Amy Schumer’s “I Feel Pretty,” starring Mexican standup comedian Michelle Rodriguez. “She’s Mexico’s very own Amy Schumer,” said Pavlovich, who added that Fabrica de Cine has several U.S. projects in the pipeline.

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