MGM Int’l TV Nabs Rights to Claro Video Hit ‘Herederos Por Accidente’ (EXCLUSIVE)

MGM International TV has snapped up worldwide distribution rights (excluding SVOD in Latin America) to culture clash comedic series “Herederos Por Accidente,” a big hit on the Mexican streaming service Claro Video, a subsidiary of billionaire Carlos Slim’s telco, America Movil.

As part of the deal, the studio also secured worldwide format rights and is developing an adaptation of the series for the U.S. market.

“We’re incredibly proud to announce our first partnership with Claro Video, Mexico’s family entertainment powerhouse,” said MGM International TV’s SVP of International Development, Diego Piasek. “‘Herederos’ has all the right ingredients to travel the world as both tape and format, and we’re excited for all of the possibilities to come,” he added.

Created by writer and executive producer Frank Ariza, (“Perdóname Señor,” “Secretos de Estado,”), “Herederos Por Accidente” (“Heirs by Accident”) revolves around two families, one Mexican, the other Spanish, who are forced to live under the same roof as they tussle for the rights to an inheritance. At the center of it all is Mexican beauty Lupe, who is pregnant with the sole legitimate heir to the family fortune.

Produced by Gossip Prods., the series bowed on Claro Video in Latin America in March and swiftly rose to become the platform’s most viewed and popular series.

“Herederos…” is one of five Mexican series that Claro Video has offered free to non-subscribers until May 31 as most of the region remains under lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the leading local platform, Claro Video is positioned to ride the crest of demand for streaming services. Despite its economic woes, Latin America will have 81 million SVOD subscriptions by 2025; almost double the 42 million recorded at end-2019, according to London-based Digital TV Research.

Buenos Aires-based research company Dataxis noted that by the end of last year, the market leaders of the region were Netflix with 30.7 million subs, Claro Video with 3.4 million and Amazon with 2.3 million. The number of OTT subscribers grew 21.4% in 2019, said Dataxis Senior Analyst Carlos Blanco.

To keep pace with the demand, MGM Int’l TV is in development on two Spanish-language series, “El Fin del Amor,” from Argentine auteur Tamara Tenenbaum, and “Mariachis,” in partnership with Mexican production company Hippo Entertainment. The studio is also developing a new English-language comedy, “Tacowood,” with Spanish actress and producer, Paz Vega.