Netflix orders original French drama

The hefty eight-part series, which will shoot entirely in France and air in all Netflix territories towards the end of 2015, is a tale of power, corruption and redemption in the French city port of the title, centring on long-serving mayor Roberto Taro. As the election draws near, Taro faces a battle against an ambitious young contender as the drama is played out against a backdrop of revenge, political machinations and the criminal underworld.

Marseille is produced by Paris-based Federation Entertainment, headed by Pascal Breton who produced the hit French series Dolmen and Sous le Soleil.

Franck said of the commission: “Creating a series for an enormous audience and without any constraints will let us push to its limits a story about the Shakespearean theatre of politics in a city where Alexandre Dumas and Jean-Claude Izzo, among others, have planted many spears.

“Netflix has given us a blank page to create a House of Cards in French that breaks through unspoken hypocrisy. This is a writer’s dream and a great opportunity for French producers and creators to enter a new world.”

Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarnados added: “Marseille is an ambitious, diabolically smart fictitious exploration of local politics in one of the world’s most vibrant and fascinating cities. We are delighted to be working with some of the best storytellers in France to deliver a series that erases the line between film and television.”

For more on filming in France, go to our production guide.