Hulu buys Israeli vampire show ‘Juda’

Hulu has bought the both the show itself, as well as rights to an American remake of the series.

By AMY SPIRO
A promo for the HOT series 'Juda' (photo credit: OHAD ROMANO)
A promo for the HOT series 'Juda'
(photo credit: OHAD ROMANO)
Streaming giant Hulu has purchased the Israeli TV series Juda, about a Jewish vampire.
Hulu has bought the both the show itself, as well as rights to an American remake of the series.
The show, which first aired in Israel on HOT in 2017, was created, written and stars comedian Zion Baruch. It tells the story of Juda, a small-time Israeli criminal who makes his money playing poker in Romania with funds from bigger-time French criminals. But on a trip to Bucharest, Juda has an unpleasant encounter with a Romanian vampire pretending to be a prostitute, which sets him on a disturbing course of events. Romanian vampires, it turns out, are not allowed to bite Jews, and she has brought shame and misfortune to her family.
The show also features a recurring rabbinic motif and all sorts of references to biblical and Talmudic texts, as well as kabbalistic motifs.
“It is incredibly exciting to be connected to the place that created A Handmaid’s Tale,” Baruch wrote on Instagram on Monday. “Thank you to HOT for believing in me and letting me and director Meni [Yaish] go nuts.”
The show also stars Amos Tamam (Srugim), Ilanit Levi and Yiddish theater legend Mike Burstyn.
Nadav Hanin, HOT’s vice president of content, told Variety that the deal underscored the fact that “excellent content truly has no borders.”
“It is HOT’s prime agenda to be the home of Israeli original content and to be an essential element in the development of the Israeli television industry,” Hanin said.