24/08/2026 - The four-month development initiative, run by WBD Access in collaboration with Series Mania Institute, brings together scribes from France, Germany, Italy and Spain

HBO Max and Warner Bros Discovery’s talent-development division WBD Access has selected 12 European screenwriters for the second edition of the Script Engine Writers' Programme, a four-month initiative designed to help mid-level writers develop original, locally rooted series concepts for the streaming platform.

Developed in conjunction with Series Mania Institute, the programme brings together three writers from each of four territories – France, Germany, Italy and Spain – and aims to strengthen their creative and professional skills while providing a direct connection with HBO Max's European teams.

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Veteran producer and showrunner Frank Spotnitz, whose credits include The X-Files, The Man in the High Castle and Medici, will serve as lead facilitator and mentor. The programme is intended to support writers in developing original series concepts that reflect the cultural specificity of their respective markets while meeting the international ambitions of HBO Max.

The selected writers will begin with an in-person professional-development week in London, followed by virtual master classes and mentoring sessions running through October. The programme combines workshops on storytelling, personal branding, leadership, collaboration and inclusive storytelling with country-specific sessions led by local industry professionals and HBO Max teams.

Each participant will also receive bespoke one-to-one guidance from a writer mentor and a producer advisor as they develop a ten- to 20-page series document, or “series bible”. The programme will culminate in an in-person project presentation in November, when the writers will pitch their projects to HBO Max executives and receive feedback from the platform's regional teams.

The initiative is part of WBD Access, Warner Bros Discovery's wider talent-development programme, and follows the success of the first Script Engine edition. The second run focuses specifically on writers with demonstrable connections to France, Germany, Italy and Spain, with the programme seeking to expand the pool of writers available for potential collaboration with WBD's European programming teams.

Among the selected participants are France's Tolula Dada, known for Gangs of London and Grantchester, and Germany's Tunde Aladese, whose credits include Transatlantic and Shuga. Italy is represented by Tommaso Matano, writer on Curon and Survivors, while Spain's participants include Jesica Aran, credited on Campamento Newton and Bandidos.

Here is the list of writers selected for the 2026 WBD Access x HBO Max Script Engine Writers' Programme:

France

Tolula Dada (Gangs of London, Grantchester)
Justine Kim Gautier (Cat’s Eyes, Lucky Luke)
Storm Sigal-Battesti (Off Season, Carême)

Germany

Tunde Aladese (Transatlantic, Shuga)
Ben Braeunlich (Tatort, Professor T.)
Stefanie Ren (A Thin Line, Nicht tot zu kriegen)

Italy

Tommaso Matano (Curon, Survivors)
Emanuele Mochi (Zio Gianni)
Simona Nobile (5 minuti prima)

Spain

Jesica Aran (Campamento Newton, Bandidos)
Lidia Fraga (Auga Seca, Montecristo)
Miguel Mayorga Moscoso