Spain is reinforcing its reputation as one of the globe’s most vibrant sources of scripted television exports. In a significant move, Atresmedia Sales has announced a pivotal deal with AXN Japan concerning the detective series “Una vida menos en Canarias” (“Murders in the Canary Islands”).
This agreement signifies an important foray into one of Asia’s most challenging yet revered markets, indicative of Japan’s increasing interest in high-quality Spanish televisión drama.
This deal follows Atresmedia’s previous achievements such as “El tiempo entre costuras” (“The Time in Between”), shown on NHK, and the popular prison drama “Vis a Vis” (“Locked Up”) that aired on Hulu Japan.
“Una vida menos en Canarias,” with its vibrant procedural style and sunlit noir tone, first debuted on Atresmedia’s streaming service Atresplayer, before later being featured in primetime on the flagship Antena 3 network, embarking on a worldwide distribution.
The series has also enjoyed success in Europe, finding new audiences on Netflix in various regions and receiving a licensing agreement in Poland through the pay TV provider Romanze.
Although the new Japanese collaboration is limited to AXN’s linear channels, it emphasizes how Atresmedia’s integrated approach to broadcasting and streaming has become a fertile ground for global content exports.
“Achieving local success is crucial for international sales nowadays. Only top-tier productions in local settings tend to achieve international success,” remarked José Antonio Salso, the head of acquisitions and international sales at Atresmedia.
Salso attributes the group’s success to its dual leadership across Spain’s traditional television and the digital platform Atresplayer, which boasts over 670,000 subscribers and five million unique monthly visitors, providing a solid foundation for international endeavors.
In foreign markets, the focus increasingly shifts towards risk assessment. “There’s a surplus of content available; buyers prefer evidence of success,” pointed out Miguel García, sales director at Atresmedia Sales. “When you can show that a program was successful elsewhere, it lessens the perceived risk.”
Created for Atresmedia by ITV Studios’ Plano a Plano, “Una vida menos en Canarias” was crafted by Fran Carballal, Enrique Lojo, and Curro Royo.
The cast includes Ginés García Millán (“Heirs,” “Isabel”) and Natalia Verbeke (“Billionaires’ Bunker”). The series adeptly combines the tension of episodic mysteries with the dynamic between two distinct detectives, merging classic noir traits with humor and light characteristic of the region.
Atresmedia has a history of exporting content from Spain to Japan; for instance, “The Time in Between” premiered on NHK General in 2015, while “Locked Up” was Hulu Japan’s first major acquisition of a Spanish-language series, cultivating a dedicated fanbase for Spanish thrillers.
Nonetheless, each new agreement carries significant implications. “This arrangement with AXN fortifies our relationship with Asia and marks progress in a region that has been historically challenging,” Salso commented.
This deal adds to Atresmedia’s string of notable international sales, solidifying its position as a leader in Spanish television exports.
One of its latest successes, “Sueños de libertad,” produced by Banijay’s Diagonal TV for Atresmedia, debuted on September 22 on HBO Max across Latin America and Brazil, following previous launches in the Baltics and the Middle East.
Now Spain’s highest-rated daily drama, it has demonstrated that long-form storytelling can thrive on global streaming platforms.
Meanwhile, the psychological thriller “Ángela,” a Spanish adaptation of the British hit “Angela Black,” produced by Buendía Estudios for Atresmedia, has emerged as a global sensation, ranking among Netflix’s leading non-English titles in 40 countries.
In February, “A muerte” (“Love You to Death”), a collaboration between Atresmedia, DeAplaneta, Playtime Movies, and Sábado Películas, premiered globally on Apple TV+ as an Apple original series, marking a milestone by opening the platform to Spanish productions.
“We’ve been pioneers in Spain regarding forming partnerships with global entities,” Salso conveyed.
“From Netflix after ‘Money Heist,’ to Apple TV+ with ‘A muerte,’ and the integration of an Atresplayer selection into Disney+, Atresmedia Sales serves as a catalyst for new partnerships within the industry,” he added.
Looking forward, “Sira,” the much-anticipated sequel to “The Time in Between,” will bring together Atresmedia, Buendía Estudios, and Netflix, with Adriana Ugarte returning to her iconic role.
Slated for a 2026 release, the period drama will make its debut in Spain on Atresmedia before reaching a global audience via Netflix.
“Clients are increasingly creating their own original content, resulting in less reliance on acquisitions compared to the early streaming era. However, Spanish productions are still highly sought after globally. When a platform backs a Spanish series, it tends to resonate worldwide,” García pointed out.
García also highlighted current demand trends identifying recurring themes: strong female narratives—as seen in “Ángela” or “Sira”—which resonate well with broad audiences; high-quality period dramas, which continue to be a reliable choice for mainstream platforms; clear-cut crime and thriller formats, exemplified by “Una vida menos en Canarias;” and daily dramas achieving prime-time quality, such as “Sueños de libertad.”
The executives perceive an opportunity within the growing trend of ‘broadcastization’ among streaming services.
“Streamers have entered the mainstream, becoming broadcasters in every respect. This shift makes them increasingly natural clients for a company like Atresmedia, which produces content tailored for both commercial free-to-air networks and its Atresplayer platform,” García concluded.
