Bellum Entertainment and Televisa USA, a subsidiary of Mexico’s Grupo Televisa, have formed a partnership and are collaborating on multiple projects.
The first of these is a crime-focused docuseries called Deep Undercover with Joe Pistone as executive producer and host. Bellum and Televisa will produce 52 30-minute episodes, targeting the U.S. cable, syndication and international markets starting at NATPE in Miami next week.
Pistone is a former undercover agent turned author and executive producer. He came to fame after detailing his undercover infiltration of the mob in his 1988 book, Donnie Brasco: My Undercover Life in the Mafia, which was later turned into the 1997 film by the same title starring Johnny Depp, and the TV series Falcone.
Deep Undercover willjoin Bellum’s true crime docu-drama, Corrupt Crimes, which debuted last fall with the Sinclair Broadcasting as the launch group.
In the past year, Televisa USA has been producing scripted programs for English-language markets under Chris Philip, Televisa USA’s head of production and distribution. Among these series are Malefic, a supernatural thriller that’s a co-production with premium network Starz; Aztecs from showrunner Michael Chernuchin (Netflix’s Marco Polo, Starz’s Black Sails); Duality, starring Dougray Scott; and Gran Hotel, about pre-Castro Havana executive produced by Stephen Kronish (Fox’s 24, Reelz’ The Kennedys).
