Leading Middle East network MBC Group has ordered an Arabic redo of “The Good Wife” set in Egypt with Tunisian-Egyptian starHend Sabri (“Finding Ola”) in the lead role. Sabri plays a woman who returns to the legal profession after her husband, who holds a prominent public position, becomes embroiled in scandal.
Licensed by Paramount Global Content Distribution, the Arabic “Good Wife” adaptation, which is titled “Moftaraq Toroq,” is produced by Dubai-based Charisma Group.
Sabri, who in Netflix Arabic original “Finding Ola” played a happy divorcee who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after her divorce, is a top Arab world draw.
Touted by MBC in a statement as “ground-breaking milestone” in Egyptian long-form TV, the high-end Arabic “Good Wife” adaptation is set to launch on MBC’s Shahid premium streamer on June 2.
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A previous Indian adaptation of the multiple Emmy-winning CBS series titled “The Trial” launched on Disney+ Hotstar last year.
While the original U.S. “Good Wife” is about a woman who returns to the legal profession when her politician husband goes to jail after a highly publicized sex scandal, “Moftaraq Toroq” appears to have been tailored to an Arabic cultural context. The show’s Arabic adaptation delves into the journey of Amira, a woman who, after dedicating 15 years of her life to being a wife and a mother, “is abruptly confronted with unforeseen challenges” when her husband’s life is hit with an unspecified scandalous upheaval, jeopardising his, also unspecified, public position, according to the provided synopsis.
“Amira’s unwavering resilience unfurls as she shoulders the arduous responsibilities thrust upon her family, embarking upon a profound journey of self-discovery,” the “Moftaraq Toroq” synopsis adds.
“We are very excited to partner with MBC Group on ‘The Good Wife’ format for the Egyptian market,” Roxanne Pompa, VP, international formats at Paramount Global Content Distribution said in a statement.
“It is incredible to see how the storyline and these characters in the adaptation have been transformed to fit into the local landscape and culture so effortlessly,” she added.
Commented Tareq Al Ibrahim, director of MBC1, MBC Drama and SVOD Content at MBC GROUP: “We’re proud to be announcing the upcoming release of ‘Moftaraq Toroq,’ a groundbreaking Arabic adaptation of ‘The Good Wife’ that will no doubt set a new standard for Egyptian long-form series.”
Written by Sherif Badreddine and Wael Hamdy, “Moftaraq Toroq” is directed by Ahmad Khaled Moussa and Mohamad Yehya. Besides Hend Sabri, the Arabic A-list cast also comprises Eyad Nassar; Majed Al Masri; Joumana Murad; Noha Abdeen; Huda Al Mufti; Ali Al Tayyeb; Laila Ezz-Alarab and Mahmoud Al Tayeb.
Robert and Michelle King served as creators, showrunners and executive producers of the original series. Ridley Scott, David Zucker and Brooke Kennedy also served as executive producers. “The Good Wife” is produced by CBS Studios, in association with Scott Free Productions and King Size Productions.
