Johan Renck

Source: Fremantle

Johan Renck

Chernobyl director Johan Renck has launched the production company Sinestra with producer Michael Parets and has signed a two-year television first-look deal with production and distribution group Fremantle.

Renck and Parets first TV collaboration with Fremantle will be 1990s Los Angeles art scene drama Mouth To Mouth, based on the novel by Antoine Wilson.

Renck won an Emmy for outstanding directing for a limited series for HBO and Sky drama Chernobyl.

Renck also directed Sky and Canal+ drama The Last Panthers, and most recently helmed feature film Spaceman which will be released by Netflix in 2023 starring Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan and Paul Dano.

He is now in pre-production on the pilot for the prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood for HBO Max.

Michael Parets

Source: Fremantle

Michael Parets

Producer Michael Parets will work alongside Renck at New York-based Sinestra. Parets most recently worked at Free Association running the film and TV unit where he developed and produced Spaceman for Netflix. Before that he worked for FilmNation.

As part of the first- look agreement, selected TV projects will be co-owned, co-developed and co-produced, with Fremantle leading on physical production, raising production finance and international sales.

Christian Vesper, president of global drama at Fremantle, said: “We are in no doubt that together we will bring some exceptional projects to audiences around the world, and we are honoured that they have chosen to work with us.”