Netflix, Sylvester Stallone Create New Competition Series

Netflix will flex its original programming muscles in the reality competition genre, teaming with Sylvester Stallone to develop Ultimate Beastmaster.

The series, produced by Stallone (Creed) and David Broome (The Biggest Loser), will pit athletes from around the world in a global competition event.

Ultimate Beastmaster will feature six customized local versions featuring local languages, competitors and hosts from each competing, including U.S., Brazil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany and Japan, according to Netflix.

All ten episodes of the series will be made available at the same moment globally on Netflix, according to the OTT service.

“As a global internet TV network, Netflix can uniquely create a compelling event that pits great competitors from six countries against one another, with commentators that audiences from these countries love and then unleash all of the episodes, at once, in multiple languages for our members to enjoy no matter where they are,” said Erik Barmack, Vice President, International Originals said in a statement. “With Sylvester Stallone and Dave Broome at the helm, it’s going to be outrageously fun.”

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.