Telemundo has optioned its highest-rated novela El Señor de los Cielos (The Lord of the Skies) to NBCUniversal Entertainment to develop for English-language audiences.
El Señor de los Cielos is inspired by the true story of Aurelio Casillas, one of the most prominent Mexican drug lords from the 90s. It ranked as Telemundo’s most-watched novela last year, averaging 2.3 million total viewers and nearly 1.5 million adults 18-49.
Universal Television will develop the series for NBC Entertainment.
In addition, the Spanish-language broadcaster has optioned its upcoming novela Mujer de Acero (Woman of Steel) to NBCU cabler USA. From Telemundo Studios Mujer de Acero centers on a woman who goes from a simple housemaid to rocking the foundation of the Mexican government.
“The telenovela format has a long history of delivering compelling episodic dramas and storylines that transcend culture and generations. We’re fortunate to have a library of stellar content that we can tap into with Telemundo and are excited at the prospect of extending it across our cable portfolio,” said Jeff Wachtel, president and chief content officer, NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment.
This marks the first time that NBC and USA have optioned content from its Spanish-language sister network.
