Television Format Remake

A Television Format Remake describes the localized version of a television program produced under license from the original-format owner. The remake retains the structural and creative-property architecture of the original format while substituting local-language, local-talent, local-location, and local-creative-team elements for the new national market.

The format-remake model has produced substantial commercial activity across multiple international television markets. Within Israeli original television specifically, several major format remakes have anchored international Israeli format-licensing activity:

— In Treatment (HBO US remake of Be'Tipul) — multiple seasons of US production based on the original Israeli format — Homeland (Showtime US remake of Hatufim / Prisoners of War) — multi-season Emmy-winning US production based on the original Israeli format — Multiple additional remakes across UK, German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Latin American television markets

Format remakes operate as a structural alternative to direct international distribution of the original program. Direct distribution (Fauda on Netflix, Shtisel on Netflix) preserves the original Israeli production but operates in subtitled or dubbed form for international audiences. Format remakes substitute the production entirely while preserving the underlying creative-property architecture.

The commercial differentiation between direct international distribution and format-remake licensing is meaningful. Direct distribution requires international audiences to engage with subtitled or dubbed Israeli production; format remakes produce native-language localized versions with local talent and local creative team. Different international markets have different reception characteristics for the two models.

See also: /glossary/format-licensing/, /glossary/streaming-original/, /media-entertainment/yes-studios-fauda/