StudioCanal Announce Nikolaj Arcel And Anders Thomas Jensen’s THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE With Antonio Banderas Set To Star

FROM THE BESTSELLING BOOK BY DOUGLAS PRESTON & MARIO SPEZI 

STUDIOCANAL today announce they are set to make THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE based on The New York Times bestseller THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE: A TRUE STORY by Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi.

Academy Award Nominee Antonio Banderas (Pain and Glory) is set to star in STUDIOCANAL’s limited series as Mario Spezi. THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE is the incredible true story of an American fiction writer Douglas Preston and Italian crime reporter Mario Spezi (Banderas) and their investigation into one of the most riveting and notorious serial murder cases in European history.   

Set to shoot on location in Florence, Sardinia and Tuscany, the 6 x 1 hour true-crime drama series is produced by STUDIOCANAL and written by Nikolaj Arcel (Academy Award nominated “A Royal Affair”, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”) and Anders Thomas Jensen (“Riders of Justice”, “After The Wedding”, Academy Award winning “In A Better World”).  Arcel will direct.  Banderas and Emanuel Nunez are Executive Producers.  

Heralded as one of the “top true crime books” of all time by USA Today, and “lucid and mesmerizing” by Time Magazine, THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE has sold more than half a million copies in 23 languages since its publication.  

Writer & Director Nikolaj Arcel comments “What happens if an entire country starts believing a destructive lie, fed to them by corrupt men in power? That’s the big idea at the heart of THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE, and I can’t imagine a better time to tell it. Combine that with an epic story that literally has everything; a riveting murder mystery, Satanic cults, gangsters, corrupt cops and a vast conspiracy, it's any filmmakers dream come true. When I first read Preston and Spezi's book I was struck by two things; firstly, I couldn't believe this was all true, secondly, I couldn't believe my luck that this hadn't yet been made as a series or film. I'm completely in love with this incredible story, and I can't wait to bring it to a broad audience.”

Douglas Preston adds “In all the annals of world crime, the Monster of Florence case stands out as the most chilling and enigmatic. The book, and the series based on it, tell the true story of our search for — and identification of — the killer and our frightening interview with him. In a bizarre turn, Mario and I were sucked into a harrowing prosecutorial vendetta, our phones tapped, followed and menaced by the police, accused of participating in Satanic rites — which culminated in Mario arrested and charged with being the Monster of Florence himself."  

EVP Global Production for STUDIOCANAL Ron Halpern expands “We are thrilled to be able to partner with such talented creators as Nikolaj and Thomas to help them bring their vision to screen of this extraordinary true story of Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi. The book is an absolute page turner; powerful, compelling, dangerous and personal. You simply can't believe this all happened to them. We can't wait to begin production on the series in Florence and to be able to work with one of our favourite actors Antonio Banderas.”  

STUDIOCANAL is actively producing a slate of premium international series in-house, as well as through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies, which includes Germany’s TANDEM Productions (Shadowplay), the UK’s RED Production Company (Years and Years, It's a Sin) and Spain's BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Instinto). The company is also an associate of Danish-based SAM Productions founded by Søren Sveistrup, Adam Price, and Meta Louise Foldager (Ride Upon The Storm), Benedict Cumberbatch’s SUNNYMARCH TV (Patrick Melrose) and URBAN MYTH FILMS (War of the Worlds).  

Banderas, repped by Emanuel Nunez, will next be seen starring opposite Penelope Cruz in the upcoming Spanish comedy “Official Competition”.  

About STUDIOCANAL
STUDIOCANAL, a 100% affiliate of CANAL+ Group held by Vivendi, is Europe’s leader in production, distribution and international sales of feature films and TV series, operating directly in all three major European markets - France, the United Kingdom and Germany - as well as in Australia and New Zealand. 

STUDIOCANAL owns one of the most important film libraries in the world, boasting nearly, 6,000 titles from 60 countries. Spanning 100 years of film history, this vast and unique catalogue includes among others the iconic Terminator 2, Rambo, Breathless, Mulholland Drive, The Pianist, The Graduate, The Third Man and Belle de jour.

STUDIOCANAL has fully financed box office hits Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Paddington 1 and 2, Non-Stop and Shaun the Sheep Movie. Upcoming films backed by STUDIOCANAL include Will Sharpe’s The Electrical Life of Louis Wain starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, Augustine Frizzell’s The Last Letter from your Lover adapted from Jojo Moyes’ best-selling novel, Navot Papushado’s female action thriller Gunpowder Milkshake and Gil Kenan’s live action A Boy called Christmas.  

STUDIOCANAL is actively producing and developing a slate of premium international TV series in-house, as well as through its network of award-winning subsidiary production companies, which includes Germany’s TANDEM Productions (Shadowplay), the UK’s RED Production Company (Years and Years, It’s a Sin, Finding Alice), URBAN MYTH FILMS (War of the Worlds) and Spain's BAMBÚ PRODUCCIONES (Instinto). The company is also an associate of Danish-based SAM Productions founded by Søren Sveistrup, Adam Price, and Meta Louise Foldager (Ride Upon the Storm) and Benedict Cumberbatch’s SUNNYMARCH TV (Patrick Melrose).  

STUDIOCANAL produces more than 200 hours of TV series each year distributing productions and CANAL+ Creation Originale worldwide with 1,000 hours of current and library content in distribution.