Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.
Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.

Tag Archive: Crystal maze

  1. We are Family. We are Banijay

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    Banijay Group today unveils its family-oriented slate for MIPCOM 2019. Designed to spark family co-viewing, the titles include: Don’t, It’s a Knockout, The Crystal Maze and All Against 1.

     

    First up, from executive prankster Ryan Reynolds, Banijay Studios North America and Host Adam Scott, Don’t is a new show where families can win money by following one simple rule: Don’t. Each week, one family of four navigates a gauntlet of directives from the ingeniously small to the ridiculously giant: Don’t Blink… Don’t Miss… Don’t Get Tired… Don’t Beat Yourself Up… Don’t Play Ball in the House. It’s the ultimate test of mind, body and family bonds. New to market following a recent commission in the U.S. from ABC, the title is one of the Group’s hot picks this MIPCOM.

     

    Next up is the return of It’s a Knockout, the original physical entertainment show that’s made the world laugh, cheer and proudly root for their champions is back with a bang! This iconic format has been part of TV history for over half a century in the biggest TV markets in the world – the USA, China, France, Germany, the UK, Italy, Russia, Portugal and many more. In both its international and intercities versions, this feel-good family brand taps into the frenzy of classic sport derbies for fierce but friendly competition. Now returning in a modernized version with all the original flavour – audiences can expect spectacular games, silly costumes, pools, slides, turntables, treadmills, and a whole lot of flags and banners. Best city, or best country, the titles are up for grabs.

     

    Following Nickelodeon’s commission in the U.S., The Crystal Maze also returns to market with a fresh family take. This time, a family team of six contestants take part in a series of challenges in order to win “time crystals” across the four key zones – Eastern, Aztec, Industrial and Futuristic. Each crystal gives the team five seconds of time inside “The Crystal Dome”, the centrepiece of the maze where the contestants take part in their final challenge.

     

    Elsewhere, All Against 1 continues its reign on DR1 in Denmark. The show poses the question, can one smart contestant beat the entire nation? In this bold, addictive and engaging format, the contestant and the viewers are all asked the same questions, based on the outcome of a variety of unique and outlandish experiments, ranging from everyday science to crazy sports dares or spectacular stunts. The answer is literally anyone’s guess – so everyone in the country can play. The contestant answers alone, while the average of the viewers’ responses via the app determine the nation’s collective answer. Whoever’s answer is the closest banks the money at stake. But there’s only one way to win the jackpot: be closest to the answer for the final question. An entertainment show for the whole family, All Against 1 recently went up against Dancing With The Stars and won the slot in the young family target group 3-40 with share of 51.6%.

     

    Lucas Green, Head of Content, Banijay Group comments: “At a time where the world has become incredibly divided on a political level, there has never been a greater need to unite people via content. Households are also becoming increasingly fragmented as individuals seek their own content on their own screens, and the beauty of each of these formats is that they all have the potential to bring them together again in front of one screen.”

     

    For further information, visit MIPCOM Stand C20.A.

  2. Nickelodeon Greenlights The Crystal Maze, All-New Version Of UK Hit Game Show

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    Nickelodeon is bringing the legendary UK hit game show The Crystal Maze to the U.S. in an all-new version, co-produced by Bunim/Murray Productions (The Real World, The Challenge, Born This Way) and RDF Television (Secret Life of 4 Year Olds, Wife Swap, Shipwrecked), all under the Banijay Group. A longtime staple of British pop culture and family entertainment, The Crystal Maze–considered the forerunner to the current escape room craze–is a competitive challenge featuring a family team who must utilize physical and mental skills to successfully navigate an elaborate labyrinth of four giant and immersive themed zones.

     

    Casting is underway on the new series (10 one-hour episodes) which begins production on the original set in Bristol, England, this summer.  The show’s host, who guides the family through each challenge and adventure, and the series premiere, will be announced at a later date.

     

    “As Nickelodeon embraces co-viewing opportunities for every member of the family, The Crystal Maze brings a new type of action game and storytelling to audiences with its escape room-style gameplay and emphasis on collaboration and teamwork to win,” said Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Unscripted Content.

     

    “The Crystal Maze has long served as a staple of the UK entertainment landscape and we could not be happier to be reinventing the show for a younger demo alongside our sister companies, RDF and Stephen David Entertainment. Acting as the first series for BMP’s Kids and Family Division, the show will  build on our reputation in the competitive game space and we’ve no doubt by partnering with Nickelodeon, we can build a new audience for this brand in the U.S.,” said Gil Goldschein, Chief Executive Officer, Bunim/Murray Productions.

     

    Nickelodeon’s version of The Crystal Maze will feature a team of family members tackling a range of challenges in zones collectively known as The Crystal Maze. Each successful game is rewarded with a ‘time crystal’ that equals five seconds in the centerpiece Crystal Dome. The adventure culminates in a spectacular finale, as the team enters the Dome to grab a cash prize as it flies around them during a dramatic clock countdown.

     

    A current ratings smash in the UK, The Crystal Maze has been a beloved family and cult favorite since the mid ‘90s, with the current global popularity of the escape room phenomena reigniting interest further. The show was recently rebooted to great success with celebrity, charity and family seasons in UK, Australia and beyond.

     

    The Crystal Maze is executive produced by Gil Goldschein and Maria Pepin from Bunim/Murray Productions, Neale Simpson from Fizz, part of RDF Television, and Stephen David from Stephen David Entertainment. Production of The Crystal Maze for Nickelodeon is overseen by Rob Bagshaw, Executive Vice President, Unscripted Content.

     

  3. Channel 4’s The Crystal Maze Unveils Brand-New Eastern Zone

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    The Crystal Maze will return in 2019 with all new celebrity episodes and an all new zone: The Eastern Zone. Influenced by the historic art, architecture and monuments of East Asia, the zone will feature five games rooms for eight new games, set around a lily pond, cherry blossom trees and ornate vases. The new zone will join the Futuristic, Aztec and Industrial Zones, with all four featuring a host of challenging new puzzles in the forthcoming series. It’s the first time a new realm has been added to the show since the Ocean Zone was introduced in the fourth series of the original 1990s run.

     

    Richard Ayoade as Maze Master will be again welcoming teams of five celebrity contestants, who will take on a host of skill, physical, mental and mystery challenges, in the hope of winning crystals that can be exchanged for time in the iconic Crystal Dome. The celebrity specials will once again see the teams aiming to win a prize sum for Stand Up To Cancer. The production of 13 new episodes will include a Christmas special, with filming taking place at the 30,000 sq. ft. studio space at The Bottle Yard Studios, Bristol.

     

    The Eastern Zone has been designed by production designer, James Dillon, who has designed all the zones featured on the series since its original run in the 1990s. He and the programme’s team of games designers have come together to create a fantasy microcosm of pre-modern East Asia complete with challenging themed games.

     

    James Dillon comments: “It’s very exciting to be asked to design a new zone for The Crystal Maze. The challenge, to create a zone referencing such an ancient and beautiful part of the world, and to bring those intense, rich colours and textures to the mix of zones that make up the Maze, has been most enjoyable.”

     

    Neale Simpson, Executive Producer at Fizz adds: “We’re thrilled to be back with more maze-based madness and especially excited to share our new zone, all-new games and some frankly ridiculous new nonsense involving an over-sized crystal.”

     

    The Crystal Maze is executive produced by Neale Simpson for Fizz, a Banijay Group company and is a Banijay Group format. The series is commissioned for Channel 4 by Tom Beck and Karen Murdoch, Commissioning Editors, Entertainment.

     

    The Crystal Maze will return to Channel 4 later this year.