Posted in: Showtime, TV | Tagged: george clooney, grant heslov, showtime, The Department, thriller, tv series

The Department: George Clooney-Helmed Spy Thriller Gets Series Order

George Clooney & Grant Heslov are bringing Le Bureau Des Legendes to Showtime with The Department, a take on the popular French series.

Showtime has placed a straight-to-series order for The Department to be directed by George Clooney. Clooney and Grant Heslov will executive produce through their Smokehouse Pictures, with MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios set to produce. This series will be based on a dramatic French series of a similar title. Le Bureau Des Legendes (The Bureau) was created by Eric Rochant and is a CANAL+ Creation Originale series produced by TOP – The Originals Productions (Berger, Rochant) and Federation Studios (Pascal Breton).

George Clooney & Showtime Join Forces

"'The Department,' based on the riveting and brilliant series 'The Bureau,' will follow in the great tradition of 'Homeland,' one of the most successful and brand-defining shows at Showtime," said Chris McCarthy, President/CEO, Showtime and Paramount Media. "Just as 'Homeland' elevated global espionage to new heights, 'The Department' will take viewers even deeper into a world of intrigue and subterfuge with complicated characters who struggle with their own demons as they fight existential threats to the nation and the world."

Le Bureau centers on the daily life and missions of agents within France's principal external security service. It focuses on the "Bureau of Legends," responsible for training and handling deep-cover agents on long-term missions in areas with French interests. Living under false identities for years, these agents' missions are to identify and recruit good intelligence sources. The New York Times named it one of the top international shows of the decade, and NPR has called it "addictively suspenseful" and "one of the best TV shows in the world."

"We are delighted to extend 'The Bureau's' DNA through 'The Department' for Showtime with our friends at MTV Entertainment Studios and 101 Studios," said Alex Berger, President and Executive Producer at The Originals Productions (TOP). "The Originals Productions (TOP), Federation and Paramount are taking our franchise to the next level, making a new high-stake international espionage show set today in a very complex geopolitical environment." Added Guillaume Pommier, Co-Head of Distribution at Federation: "We couldn't dream of a better partner home than Showtime to adapt 'The Bureau.' They share with us the passion, the vision, and the ambition for this amazing show, combined with their strong premium global network, which will bring 'The Department' to the world." Production is slated to start later this year. "We are thrilled to be partnering with George & Grant on this amazing project," said David Glasser, CEO of 101 Studios.  Paramount+/Showtime and MTV Entertainment Studios have been an incredible home to so many of our projects, and we are excited to once again work alongside Chris McCarthy, Keith Cox, Nina Diaz, and their incredible teams."

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