A new international adaptation of Ghosts is in the pipeline. This British ensemble sitcom centers around a couple, played by Charlotte Ritchie and Kiell Smith-Bynoe, who inherit a house they aim to transform into a hotel, only to find out it is haunted.
Despite concluding after five seasons, the show has been successfully remade in the US, featuring Rose McIver and Utkarsh Ambudkar, and that version has already been renewed for both Season 5 and Season 6. Additionally, a German adaptation premiered in March, with plans for Australian and Greek versions also underway.
According to Deadline, a French adaptation titled Ghosts : Fantômes en Héritage is on its way to television. This series will be a direct remake of the UK original and is being produced by the French division of BBC Studios. It will be available on Disney+ in France and will also air on the French channel TF1.
Arthur Sanigou is both writing and directing the show, which will debut with a six-episode season that closely follows the UK version. However, if the series is renewed for a second season, it may explore new storylines. Here is what Arthur Sanigou and co-writer Joris Goulenok said below.
According to Arthur Sanigou, “Absolutely, we’re eager to create more. We’re currently in the process of writing Season 2. The English version didn’t gain much popularity in France. It was quite a fresh experience for us, and we’ve seen all the UK episodes. Within the first couple of minutes, I was hooked—the energy, the humor, and the clever mix of scenes featuring ghosts and those that don’t. In Season 1, we stayed quite true to the UK original, capturing some of the enchanting elements that resonate in the UK series.”
As per Joris Goulenok, “Our goal was to create a foundation that would allow us to explore our unique direction if we were to continue beyond Season 1. Similar to how the U.S. adaptation of The Office initially followed the original Ricky Gervais version, we aimed to preserve the successful elements and structures established by the talented English writers. We didn’t want to disrupt what was already working well.”
The ghostly figures accompanying the central duo, Alison and Nabil, will exhibit some subtle cultural variations, notably featuring the spirit of a former Nazi sympathizer who faces social rejection.
This series, featuring talents such as Camille Chamoux, Hafid F. Benamar, Fred Testot, Tiphaine Daviot, Bruno Sanches, Paul Scarfoglio, Monsieur Poulpe, and Paul Deby, is set to premiere on Disney+ in France and Belgium on April 9, with plans for an international rollout to be managed by Studio TF1 at a later time.
Ghosts Has The Potential To Achieve The Same Level of Iconic Status As The Office
While numerous UK series have been adapted for American audiences, such as House of Cards, Shameless, and Being Human, the surge of international remakes is a less common phenomenon. Ghosts, in particular, stands out as it may soon compete with The Office for the title of one of the most impactful and often reimagined sitcoms from the UK.
The US adaptation of The Office holds the record for longevity, spanning nine seasons, but the original series also inspired remakes in Germany, Brazil, France, Canada, Chile, and nine additional regions.
With the second season of Fantômes en Héritage already in the writing stage, the possibility of the show being renewed appears quite promising. This is particularly true if the French adaptations of the Ghosts characters resonate well with both local and international viewers.
If the series continues to thrive, it has the potential to compete with The Office, which has seen only a handful of its numerous remakes last beyond two seasons.
What Contributes To The Enduring Nature of Ghosts ?
Given the show’s distinctive supernatural theme, it might come as a surprise that Ghosts has inspired numerous remakes. However, several factors contribute to the franchise’s enduring appeal across different countries. A key reason is its overwhelmingly positive reception from both critics and viewers.
The UK version boasts an impressive average score of 96% from critics and 92% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, while the US adaptation follows closely with scores of 97% and 86%, respectively. Not only have the shows maintained a high standard of quality across various countries, but their premise—though particular—can be easily tailored to fit different regions.
While the core human characters stay relatively unchanged, the surrounding cast of ghostly figures can be effortlessly replaced to reflect various historical eras relevant to the setting of the show. This adaptability is exemplified by the character of the Nazi sympathizer, specifically created for the French adaptation.
Our Perspective On The French Adaptation of Ghosts
Similar to the American adaptation of The Office, the French version of Ghosts will initially stick closely to the original scripts and characters.
However, as the series progresses, the cultural differences are likely to become more pronounced, potentially resulting in a show that feels quite distinct from the original by the time the season finale arrives.
This evolution could provide significant clues about the direction Season 2 might take as it diverges from the original storyline.