Franchise Plan B is expanding. While in Quebec, writing for a fifth season has begun, in English Canada, a new batch of episodes is getting ready to be released.
Filmed in Quebec last winter, this sequel will land Sunday on CBC Gem, the public broadcaster’s video-on-demand platform. It is the English-language adaptation of the 2021 chapter starring Anne-Élisabeth Bossé as a police officer who goes back in time to stop a violent man (Vincent Leclerc) from committing a horrific crime.
A first season in English was released last year, in which Patrick J. Adams and Karine Vanasse reprised the roles originally played by Louis Morissette and Magalie Lépine-Blondeau. This reinterpretation was a finalist at the Canadian Screen Awards for best drama series.
The success of the new episodes of the science fiction thriller in Canada would certainly increase its chances of extending its hunting territory beyond the country’s borders, since on television, English-language productions are exported more easily than those in French.
“We want to make as many seasons in English as possible so that when it comes time to sell, it works in our favor,” says director and co-writer (with Jacques Drolet) Jean-François Asselin.
Plan B can achieve global success provided it has several seasons, like a franchise.
Jean-François Asselin, director and co-author of Plan B
PHOTO DANNY TAILLON, PROVIDED BY CBC GEM
Vinessa Antoine plays a policewoman in Plan B.
Plan B is attracting growing media interest in the United States. Last month, when CBC presented the trailer for the new episodes, the American trade magazine Deadline covered the news. All hopes are therefore allowed for a breakthrough to take place.
“Success in English is important, but it’s not the only gateway to international markets,” says producer Louis Morissette of KOTV. “It could also start in Germany. It’s a huge market that could open up the whole of Europe to us. The actors in the German adaptation received nominations for the German equivalent of Les Gémeaux. They’re looking into the possibility of doing a second season. Things are going well.”
PHOTO FRANÇOIS ROY, THE PRESS
KOTV President and Producer of Plan BLouis Morissette
For the time being, besides Germany, Plan B taking into account adaptations in France (TF1) as well as in Flemish Belgium (STREAMZ).
Montreal in the spotlight
Despite the change of language, this Plan B English-language series retains its Quebec essence. With a budget of $2.3 million per episode (compared to $800,000 for the French-language original), its second season remains anchored in Montreal, as can be seen by watching the episodes.
PHOTO DANNY TAILLON, PROVIDED BY CBC
The Canadian-English adaptation of Plan B was filmed in Montreal.
“We wanted to show something less caricatured of Montreal,” explains Jean-François Asselin, during an interview. Zoom. Every time we see Montreal abroad, it seems like we’re highlighting the Old Port. I wanted to show the Shaughnessy Village district, Verdun, the West Island… I thought it was cool.
I admit that there is a pride in having kept the series in Montreal. It is a show that comes from Quebec. The English version will travel everywhere.
Louis Morissette, producer of Plan B
New actors, new tone
Although the story remains unchanged (or almost), this Plan B English-language version differs from the French-language original. For Jean-François Asselin, its cast, led by Ontario actress Vinessa Antoine (Diggstown), explains this transformation.
“The biggest change comes from the actors,” the director comments. “The characters are written the same, but it gives something different, because each human brings something unique.”
“What we really liked about Anne-Éli [Anne-Élisabeth Bossé]it was his spring [ressort] “Comic,” adds Louis Morissette. “Her fragility came with a kind of humor, while with Vinessa, it comes from elsewhere. It’s something else.”
PHOTO DANNY TAILLON, PROVIDED BY CBC
The director and co-writer of Plan BJean-François Asselin, with actors Sarah Booth, Vincent Leclerc, Vinessa Antoine and Rossif Sutherland
“We didn’t try to reproduce what Anne-Éli did. We wanted to audition the best person. That’s all.”
Auditioning English-Canadian actors without knowing their reputations was a new experience for Jean-François Asselin and Louis Morissette. “Sometimes, after an audition, the casting director would tell us that it was a big star. But we were like, ‘Yeah… We didn’t feel anything.’ It was a really interesting approach. In Quebec, we’re such a small community. We know the actors. We know everything about them. We see them at Cheater and on a lot of shows. In English Canada, I had no idea who was who,” says Jean-François Asselin.
Three Quebec actors reprise the roles they played in the original: Vincent Leclerc, Patrick Emmanuel Abellard and Nathalie Coupal.
Language changes the game. Vincent [Leclerc]it’s not entirely the same character. It’s fascinating to observe that.
Jean-François Asselin, director and co-author of Plan B
So, Plan B continues its journey, both in English and in French. In Quebec, its last season (the one with Pier-Luc Funk as a young bandit in search of redemption) was broadcast on ICI Télé last fall. It also garnered seven citations in the 39it is Gemini Prizes, which will be awarded in September.
Louis Morissette confirms that a fifth season is “in development”. Jean-François Asselin and Jacques Drolet are currently in the writing phase.
The second season in English of Plan B lands Sunday at 9 a.m. on CBC Gem.