‘Gomorrah – The Origins’ Series Sells Widely, Including to HBO Max in Germany and Turkey

“Gomorrah – The Origins,” the new prequel show to gritty Neapolitan mob series “Gomorrah” – which is Italy’s biggest TV export – has scored a slew of sales.

Following its launch on Sky in Italy earlier this month, Beta Film has announced pick up deals for the six-hour origins series to HBO Max Germany; HBO Max Turkey; SBS Australia; Studiocanal in France; ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) in Austria; TET in Latvia; and Nova in Greece. 

“Gomorrah – The Origins” is also set to soon roll out on Sky in the U.K.

The Beta Film deal with HBO Max Germany includes the original “Gomorrah” series and its spin-off feature film “The Immortal.” All “Gomorrah” franchise titles will be available via HBO Max in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Luxembourg, Beta said in a statement.

The six-part limited “Gomorrah – The Origins” series is set in the 1970s and traces the rise of mobster Pietro Savastano, who in the original “Gomorrah” is the head of the drug-dealing clan that bears his name. Savastano is played in the prequel by 16-year-old Naples native Luca Lubrano.

The origins story starts in 1977 with a very young Savastano, who grows up as an adoptive child in a dirt poor family in the Naples slum of Secondigliano. He’s a street kid who hustles and dreams of raising his economic status just as he loses his innocence along with his brothers and lifelong friends and experiences a first great love “which, like for every teenager, will be crazy and passionate,” according to the provided synopsis. His meeting with Angelo, known as ‘A Sirena,’ the mob boss of Secondigliano, then marks his entry into the world of crime. “Amid violence, alliances and betrayals, Pietro discovers at his own expense the price that that this life entails,” the synopsis says.

The prequel series is lead-directed by Marco D’Amore, who starred as ruthless central character Ciro Di Marzio in the “Gomorrah” original series.

Just like the original, “Gomorrah – The Origins” is produced by Sky Studios and Cattleya, which is part of ITV Studios.

“Gomorrah” ran for five seasons between 2014 and 2021. The gritty show traveled to 190 countries, including the U.S., where it played on HBO Max.