Gemma Arterton spy drama ‘Secret Service’ heads to MGM+ after rights deal covering North America, Latin America and Italy

MGM+ has acquired North American, Latin American and Italian streaming rights for the five-part British spy thriller Secret Service, starring Gemma Arterton and adapted from a book by journalist Tom Bradby.

By The Apex Times Newsroom2 min readAI-assisted Apex article

A new British spy thriller, Secret Service, starring Gemma Arterton, has landed on a major U.S. streaming home after MGM+ picked up rights for multiple regions, Deadline reported. The five-part series will stream on MGM+ in North America, Latin America and Italy under the distribution deal announced Aug. 26, 2026.

Deadline said the series is based on a book by Tom Bradby, a news anchor who also hosts ITV’s News at Ten in the United Kingdom. Bradby is credited as the author of the source material, while the TV adaptation brings the thriller framework to a serialized format designed for streaming audiences.

Arterton leads the cast of Secret Service, according to the report. The news release characterizes the show as a spy thriller, positioning it within the wider category of intelligence and covert-operations drama that has remained a steady draw for premium streaming platforms.

The MGM+ rights acquisition covers not only the United States and Canada but also Latin America and Italy, according to Deadline’s account. The regional scope indicates an intent to distribute the same series across multiple international markets rather than limiting the release to a single territory.

Deadline’s report places the project within the British drama pipeline associated with major international partners, while also underscoring that MGM+ will serve as the principal streaming destination in the territories where the deal applies. No premiere date or episode-by-episode rollout schedule was included in the report.

For viewers, the deal means the series will join MGM+’s library as a new scripted addition built around spy-story conventions, with Arterton as the central on-screen draw. For the industry, the licensing arrangement reflects how U.S. streamers continue to expand premium drama slates with internationally sourced titles and book-to-screen adaptations.

For producers and rights holders, a multi-territory acquisition can help translate production investments into broader distribution revenue and audience reach. The deal also indicates that MGM+ is actively targeting serialized international content to strengthen its streaming lineup in key language and regional markets.

Why It Matters

The licensing deal expands the availability of a new scripted international drama on MGM+ across multiple regions, increasing potential audience reach for the series.
The multi-territory scope indicates streaming platforms continue to prioritize global distribution strategies rather than single-country launches.
The adaptation from a high-profile journalist-author’s book underscores the ongoing pipeline of rights deals between media properties and book-based source material.
For MGM+, adding a five-part thriller can strengthen its premium drama programming with a serialized format typically suited to subscriber retention and weekend viewing habits.
For producers and distributors, the arrangement provides a clearer path to monetizing the series through a major platform in several key international markets.

Sources

Key Facts

MGM+ acquired streaming rights for the British spy thriller Secret Service in North America, Latin America and Italy.
Secret Service is a five-part series starring Gemma Arterton.
The show is based on a book by Tom Bradby, a U.K. news anchor who hosts ITV’s News At Ten.
Deadline reported the rights pickup on Aug. 26, 2026.
The report characterizes Secret Service as a spy thriller and positions MGM+ as the streaming destination in the covered regions.