Casting Announced for BBC One's "The Pale Horse"

Casting Announced for BBC One's "The Pale Horse"
Rufus Sewell and Kaya Scodelario star in the project, which is being co-produced with Amazon Prime Video.

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[via press release from BBC] Casting announced for BBC One's The Pale Horse
Casting for the latest Agatha Christie drama The Pale Horse has been announced by BBC One, Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited.

Casting for the latest Agatha Christie drama, The Pale Horse has been announced by BBC One, Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited.

Rufus Sewell (The Man In The High Castle, The Marvellous Mrs. Maisel, The Father), plays Mark Easterbrook and is joined by Kaya Scodelario (Crawl, Extremely Wicked and Shockingly Evil And Vile) playing Hermia, Bertie Carvel (Doctor Foster, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell) as Zachariah Osborne, Sean Pertwee (Gotham, Elementary) as Detective Inspector Lejeune, Henry Lloyd-Hughes (Killing Eve, Indian Summers) as David Ardingly, and Poppy Gilbert (Call The Midwife) as Thomasina Tuckerton, Madeleine Bowyer (Black Mirror, Britannia) as Jessie Davis and Ellen Robertson (Snowflake, Britney Soho) as Poppy.

Sarah Woodward (Queens Of Mystery, Loving Miss Hatto), Georgina Campbell (His Dark Materials, Black Mirror) and Claire Skinner (Outnumbered, Vanity Fair) will also star.

Completing the cast are Rita Tushingham (Vera, A Taste Of Honey) as Bella, Sheila Atim (Girl From The North Country, Bloodmoon) as Thryza Grey and Kathy Kiera Clarke (Derry Girls, Tartuffe) as Sybil Stamford who will play the trio of witches.

The Pale Horse follows Mark Easterbrook as he tries to uncover the mystery of a list of names found in the shoe of a dead woman. His investigation leads him to the peculiar village of Much Deeping, and The Pale Horse, the home of a trio of rumoured witches. Word has it that the witches can do away with wealthy relatives by means of the dark arts, but as the bodies mount up, Mark is certain there has to be a rational explanation.

Filming has begun on the two-part drama in and around the Bristol area and is being directed by Leonora Lonsdale (Beast) and produced by Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto (City Of Tiny Lights).
Tommy Bulfin, BBC Drama Commissioning Editor, says: "We are thrilled that filming is now underway on The Pale Horse for BBC One. Sarah's brilliant scripts and her unique take on the famous Agatha Christie stories have once again attracted an array of top and exciting talent."
James Prichard, Executive Producer and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, says: "This adaptation feels like nothing we have done before. This is a very different story from most that my great grandmother wrote, and Sarah has taken it to new heights. The cast, with the likes of Rufus Sewell and Bertie Carvel, is superlative, and it should be a highly entertaining drama."

Helen Ziegler, Executive Producer for Mammoth Screen, adds: "Sarah Phelps has excelled herself with her fifth adaptation of Agatha Christie's work. The Pale Horse is a stunningly atmospheric, bewitching and thrilling piece, which has attracted the most wonderful stellar cast. We are utterly thrilled to see Sarah's brilliant writing be brought to life by director Leonora Lonsdale, the fantastic production team and incredible cast."

The Pale Horse is a Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited drama for BBC One. The executive producers are Sarah Phelps, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler for Mammoth Screen, James Prichard and Basi Akpabio for Agatha Christie Limited and Tommy Bulfin for BBC.
Amazon Prime Video is the US co-production partner and Endeavor Content will handle sales in all territories internationally. 

Tahar Rahim to Take the Lead Role in Brand New Thriller "The Serpent" for BBC One and Netflix

Tahar Rahim to Take the Lead Role in Brand New Thriller "The Serpent" for BBC One and Netflix
The eight-part limited series is based on the astonishing true story of how one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century was caught and brought to trial.

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[via press release from Netflix] TAHAR RAHIM TO TAKE THE LEAD ROLE IN BRAND NEW THRILLER "THE SERPENT" FOR BBC ONE AND NETFLIX

Award-winning French actor Tahar Rahim (The Looming Tower, A Prophet, The Eddy) will star as Charles Sobhraj in the brand new drama series The Serpent, based on the astonishing true story of how one of the most elusive criminals of the 20th century was caught and brought to trial.
Commissioned by BBC One, The Serpent will be produced by Mammoth Screen (Poldark, World on Fire) and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix. The eight-part limited series is written by Richard Warlow (Ripper Street) and Toby Finlay (Ripper Street) and directed by Tom Shankland (Les Miserables).

Charles Sobhraj was the chief suspect in the unsolved murders of up to 20 young Western travellers across India, Thailand and Nepal through 1975 and 1976. Psychopath, con man, thief and master of disguise, having slipped repeatedly from the grasp of authorities worldwide, by 1976 serial killer Sobhraj was Interpol's most wanted man and had arrest warrants on three different continents.
When Herman Knippenberg, a junior diplomat at the Dutch Embassy in Bangkok, unwittingly walks into Sobhraj's intricate web of crime, he sets off an extraordinary chain of events that will see these two diametrically opposed men engaged in a chase across the porous borders of the Hippie Trail, as Knippenberg seeks to bring Sobhraj to justice for his terrible crimes.

Tahar Rahim says: "I am thrilled to play Charles Sobhraj in The Serpent, a role I have dreamed of portraying since I read a book about him when I was seventeen years old. I couldn't be happier than to make it under the direction of Tom Shankland and writers Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay."
Preethi Mavahalli, Executive Producer at Mammoth Screen, says: "It is an absolute honour to have Tahar Rahim, one of France's finest actors, join us in bringing this extraordinary story of the notorious French serial killer Charles Sobhraj to screen."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "We are delighted to have the brilliant Tahar Rahim play our leading man in The Serpent and for him to unravel Sobhraj's dark web of deceit, crime and murder in this fascinating true story for BBC One."

Brian Pearson, Vice President, Content Acquisition, Netflix adds: "We're excited to grow our partnership with the BBC alongside Mammoth Screen and bring this gripping story led by the brilliant Tahar Rahim to our members around the world."

The Serpent is an 8x60' limited series produced by Mammoth Screen for BBC One and Netflix. It is written by Richard Warlow and Toby Finlay, directed by Tom Shankland and executive produced by Richard Warlow, Tom Shankland, Preethi Mavahalli and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Lucy Richer for the BBC and will be handled by Carolyn Newman for Netflix. Mammoth Screen is part of ITV Studios and the deal was made through ITV Studios Global Entertainment.
The series will premiere on BBC One in the UK and on Netflix outside of the UK.
Further casting will be revealed in due course.

About Tahar Rahim
Tahar Rahim, likely best known for his performance in Jacques Audiard's Oscar-nominated French crime drama A Prophet, has seamlessly made the transition into American cinema as one of the most respected international actors of his generation.

Rahim was most recently seen in the critically acclaimed miniseries The Looming Tower, which aired on BBC Two in the UK, and will next star in La La Land director Damien Chazelle's Netflix series The Eddy. The Paris-set musical is written by Jack Thorne and will focus on a French Club owner, its band and the everyday chaos of the live music venue.

In 2009, Rahim received critical acclaim for his role in A Prophet, in which he played a young French man of Algerian descent, sentenced to six years in prison for attacking police officers. Rahim received the César Award for Best Actor, and the film won the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language, in addition to nine César Awards, plus an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Other notable credits for Rahim include the Sky series The Last Panthers, plus the films Mary Magdalene, Les Anarchists, The Past, Day Of The Falcon and The Eagle.

About Mammoth Screen
Mammoth Screen is one of the UK's leading production companies. Current and forthcoming BBC shows include Poldark S5, Noughts + Crosses, The War of The Worlds, World On Fire and The Pale Horse. Mammoth Screen is an ITV Studios company. 

John Boyega and Letitia Wright Set to Star in Steve McQueen Series for BBC One

John Boyega and Letitia Wright Set to Star in Steve McQueen Series for BBC One
Amazon has licensed the show - "Small Axe," a London-set 1970s anthology - in the United States.

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[via press release from BBC] John Boyega and Letitia Wright set to star in Steve McQueen series for BBC One
Small Axe, a London-set 1970s anthology, began shooting on 24 June.

BBC One, Turbine Studios and Lammas Park are proud to announce that Oscar and Bafta-winning filmmaker Steve McQueen (Widows, Twelve Years A Slave) has cast his TV series entitled Small Axe for BBC One with an all-star British cast including John Boyega and Letitia Wright. The series is executive produced by Tracey Scoffield and David Tanner for Turbine Studios and Steve McQueen for Lammas Park. Shooting began on location in London on June 24.

Joining the cast are Evening Standard Theatre Awards' Outstanding Newcomer Malachi Kirby (Curfew, Black Mirror, Roots), Shaun Parkes (Lost In Space, Hooten & The Lady), Rochenda Sandall (Line Of Duty, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch), Alex Jennings (A Very English Scandal, Victoria) and Jack Lowden (The Long Song, Mary Queen of Scots).

Small Axe is an anthology of hour-long stories conceived and written by Steve McQueen with Alastair Siddons and Courttia Newland. Alex Wheatle is a writing consultant to the series.
The 6x60' films tell five stories, with the first told across two episodes, and are set within London's West Indian community from the late 1960s to the early 80s.

The title Small Axe is derived from a Jamaican proverb which has resonance throughout the Caribbean, "if you are the big tree, we are the small axe". Small Axe is also the title of a Bob Marley song from his 1973 album Catch A Fire. It means that relatively marginal or small voices of dissent can successfully challenge more powerful voices.

Mike Elliot is producing for EMU Films with Turbine Studios and Anita Overland. Associate producers are Charlotte Andrews for Turbine Studios, Susan Dolan for Lammas Park and Helen Bart.
The drama has been commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and the executive producer for the BBC is Lucy Richer, Senior Commissioning Editor for Drama. Amazon has licensed the show for the US. BBC Studios is handling worldwide sales.

Steve McQueen says: "I felt these stories needed to be shared. I wanted to re-live, re-evaluate and investigate the journeys that my parents and the first generation of West Indians went on to deliver me here today calling myself a Black British person. What's important about our stories is that they are local but at the same time global. I think audiences will identify with the trials, tribulations and joy of our characters as well as reflecting on the present environment in which we find ourselves. The dynamic nature of the series allows us to confront injustice in the face of adversity hence the proverb Small Axe, 'if you are the big tree, we are the small axe' (Bob Marley)."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "It is an honour to have Steve McQueen, along with this stellar cast, tell these important and inspiring stories on BBC One. Small Axe will air on BBC One next year, and this powerful drama is not to be missed."

Tracey Scoffield, Turbine Studios Executive Producer, says: "We've been working with Steve McQueen and the BBC for over five years developing this project and the privilege continues now we are in production, putting together the best cast and crew to do justice to these incredible stories and the real people behind them."

John Boyega is best known for his role as Finn in the latest feature films in the Star Wars franchise. Letitia Wright most recently starred in the box office and awards season sensation Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War.

This is newly formed Turbine Studios' first project out of the gate. The company, set up last year by producers Scoffield and Tanner alongside Andrew Eaton (The Crown, The Trip), and Justin Thomson (The Fall, Death Comes To Pemberley), is building an impressive slate of TV and film projects. 

BBC One Announces New Agatha Christie Thriller "The Pale Horse"

BBC One Announces New Agatha Christie Thriller "The Pale Horse"
The two-part drama, a co-production with Amazon Prime Video, is adapted from the book of the same name and will be directed by Leonora Lonsdale.

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[via press release from BBC] BBC One announces new Agatha Christie thriller The Pale Horse

The BBC, Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited today announce the commission of the latest Agatha Christie story to be adapted for television. The Pale Horse, first published in 1961, will be adapted by Bafta-nominated writer Sarah Phelps.

James Prichard, Executive Producer and CEO of Agatha Christie Limited, says: "The Pale Horse was one of the later novels penned by my great grandmother, written as it was in the 1960s. This new drama allows writer Sarah Phelps to continue her exploration of the 20th century through Christie's stories, with the book's fantastic, foreboding atmosphere completely suited to Sarah's unique style of adaptation."

When a mysterious list of names is found in the shoe of a dead woman, one of those named, Mark Easterbrook, begins an investigation into how and why his name came to be there. He is drawn to The Pale Horse, the home of a trio of rumoured witches in the tiny village of Much Deeping. Word has it that the witches can do away with wealthy relatives using the dark arts alone, but as the bodies mount up Mark is certain there has to be a rational explanation. And who could possibly want him dead?
Sarah Phelps, Writer and Executive Producer, says: "Written in 1961, against the backdrop of the Eichmann Trial, the escalation of the Cold War and Vietnam, The Pale Horse is a shivery, paranoid story about superstition, love gone wrong, guilt and grief. It's about what we're capable of when we're desperate and what we believe when all the lights go out and we're alone in the dark."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "Sarah Phelps' adaptations of Agatha Christie's most iconic novels have introduced the author's work to a new generation of fans. The Pale Horse is one of her most unusual and atmospheric works and lends itself perfectly to another stunning screen adaptation from Sarah."

Helen Ziegler, Executive Producer for Mammoth Screen, adds: "Sarah Phelps has crafted an extraordinary adaptation of Agatha Christie's celebrated 1960s novel The Pale Horse, where the rational world and dark supernatural forces seem to collide. Asking the question, how far would you go to protect your own happiness? it's a tale of guilt, terror and witchcraft with we hope will delight and terrify viewers in equal measure!"

The two-part drama adapted from the book of the same name will be directed by Leonora Lonsdale (Beast) and produced by Ado Yoshizaki Cassuto (City Of Tiny Lights).
Casting will be announced at a later date.

The Pale Horse is a Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Limited drama for BBC One. The executive producers are Sarah Phelps, Damien Timmer and Helen Ziegler for Mammoth Screen, James Prichard and Basi Akpabio for Agatha Christie Limited and Tommy Bulfin for BBC.
Amazon Prime Video are US co-production partners and Endeavor Content will handle sales in all territories internationally. 

FX and BBC One Partner on New Adaption of Charles Dickens' Classic "A Christmas Carol"

FX and BBC One Partner on New Adaption of Charles Dickens' Classic "A Christmas Carol"
Guy Pearce stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in the project, which also features Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Rutger Hauer, Kayvan Novak and Lenny Rush.

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[via press release from FX] FX and BBC One Partner on New Adaption of Charles Dickens' Classic "A Christmas Carol"
The Three-Part Adaptation, Written by Steven Knight and Directed by Nick Murphy, Will Be Produced by FX Productions in Association with the BBC, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker
Guy Pearce Stars as Ebenezer Scrooge Alongside an Outstanding Ensemble Cast Featuring Andy Serkis, Stephen Graham, Charlotte Riley, Joe Alwyn, Vinette Robinson, Rutger Hauer, Kayvan Novak and Lenny Rush

A Christmas Carol Premieres in December and Is the First in a Series of New Adaptions of Dickens' Classic Novels Produced by Scott Free, Hardy Son & Baker, BBC and FXP

LOS ANGELES and LONDON, May 9, 2019 - FX and BBC One are re-teaming with Ridley Scott's Scott Free and Tom Hardy's Hardy Son & Baker on a new three-part special of Charles Dickens' timeless classic A Christmas Carol, it was announced today by Eric Schrier and Nick Grad, Presidents of Original Programming, FX Networks and FX Productions, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama.

A Christmas Carol features a star-studded ensemble cast including Guy Pearce (Mary Queen of Scots) playing Ebenezer Scrooge; Andy Serkis (Black Panther) as Ghost of Christmas Past; Stephen Graham (This Is England) as Jacob Marley; Charlotte Riley (Peaky Blinders) as Lottie; Joe Alwyn (The Favourite) as Bob Cratchit; Vinette Robinson (Doctor Who) as Mary Cratchit; Rutger Hauer (True Blood) as the Ghost of Christmas Future; Kayvan Novak (What We Do In The Shadows) as Ali Baba and Lenny Rush (Old Boys) as Tim Cratchit.

Produced by FX Productions, Scott Free, and Hardy Son & Baker for BBC One and FX, A Christmas Carol is a unique and original take on the Charles Dickens' iconic ghost story written by Steven Knight (Taboo, Peaky Blinders) and a haunting, hallucinatory, spine-tingling immersion into Scrooge's dark night of the soul. It will be directed by Nick Murphy (The Awakening).

Knight said, "This production of A Christmas Carol will respectfully present what we believe to be a timely interpretation of a timeless story."

A Christmas Carol is written and executive produced by Steven Knight, executive produced by Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, Dean Baker, David W. Zucker, Kate Crowe and Mona Qureshi for the BBC, and produced by Julian Stevens.

"We are incredibly proud to join the BBC in this latest creative venture, which builds on our expansive programming partnership to bring the best in television to audiences in the U.S. and U.K.," said Schrier. "Charles Dickens' classics, including A Christmas Carol, are timeless tales that have been reimagined generation after generation. We couldn't imagine a better team to undertake this enormous task than Steven Knight, Tom Hardy, Ridley Scott, and their formidable production companies."

Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama added, "We're incredibly excited that filming has begun on Steve Knight's brilliant interpretation of A Christmas Carol, with Nick Murphy directing a phenomenal cast in what promises to be an iconic version of the classic tale."

A Christmas Carol is the first in a series of adaptions of Dickens' novels, commissioned by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, and Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, that will air in the next few years.

A Christmas Carol, slated to air in December on FX in the US, is the latest collaboration between the two broadcasters and the creative team behind the acclaimed drama series Taboo.

ABOUT FX
FX is the flagship general entertainment basic cable channel of FX Networks. Launched in June of 1994, FX is carried in 88 million homes. The diverse schedule features a growing roster of critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit dramas series including Taboo, Legion, Snowfall, Trust, Pose, Mayans M.C. and the upcoming Y; the critically-acclaimed limited series American Horror Story, Fargo, American Crime Story, FEUD, Fosse/Verdon and the upcoming Devs, Shogun and Mrs. America; acclaimed hit comedy series including Atlanta, Baskets, Better Things, What We Do in the Shadows and the upcoming Breeders; the half-hour series Mr Inbetween; and the upcoming docuseries The Weekly with The New York Times. FX is the former home of the critically-acclaimed and award-winning hit drama series The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me, Damages, Sons of Anarchy, Justified and The Americans. The network's library of acquired box-office hit movies is unmatched by any ad-supported television network.

About Scott Free TV
Scott Free Television is the television production company of acclaimed filmmaker Ridley Scott. In the 20 years since Scott Free was formed, the company has earned over 100 Emmy nominations with 22 wins, and 28 Golden Globe nominations for its television projects. Current productions include the forthcoming flagship TNT sci-fi series, RAISED BY WOLVES, the first-ever to be helmed by Ridley Scott, a drama about androids raising human children in an outer space colony; Amazon's epic drama, THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE, concluding its climactic fourth and final season; recently ordered season four of THE GOOD FIGHT, the critically-acclaimed CBS All Access spin-off of THE GOOD WIFE; a second season of the AMC historical anthology series THE TERROR: INFAMY; the second season of the eponymous series adaptation of George Pendle's book STRANGE ANGEL on CBS All Access; the Fox drama THE PASSAGE, based on Justin Cronin's post-apocalyptic trilogy; and the National Geographic limited series THE HOT ZONE, based on the Richard Preston book and starring Julianna Margulies, to premiere over Memorial Day. Other hailed Scott Free productions include the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated, Peabody-winning drama, "The Good Wife," which ran on CBS for seven seasons; two seasons of the esteemed PBS Civil War medical drama, "Mercy Street;" "Numb3rs," which ran for six successful seasons on CBS; and the acclaimed Emmy-nominated National Geographic channel series of "Killing" telefilms: "Killing Jesus" "Killing Kennedy" "Killing Reagan" and the docudrama "Killing Lincoln." Notable long form programs include "Klondike" for Discovery; the Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated "The Pillars of the Earth" for Starz; "World Without End" for Reelz; Emmy-nominated "Into the Storm" for HBO; Emmy-nominated "The Andromeda Strain" and "Coma" for A&E; the Golden Globe-nominated "The Company" at TNT; and a feature-length digital series for X-Box/Microsoft, "Halo: Nightfall." Acclaimed non-fiction programs include CNN's "Crimes of the Century;" and longform documentaries such as the Emmy-winning special "Gettysburg" for History Channel; Hulu's "Re: Generation Music Project," directed by Amir Bar-Lev; "I Am Dying," directed by Dan Lindsay and TJ Martin for National Geographic; and Apple's "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives," directed by Chris Perkel, which opened the 2017 Tribeca Film Festival. With offices in Los Angeles and London, Scott Free works closely with RSA Films, one of the world's largest and most successful commercial production houses.

About Hardy Son & Baker
Academy Award(R) nominated actor and producer Tom Hardy formed Hardy Son & Baker with partner Dean Baker in 2012. Since its inception, the company has focused on developing and producing bold, sophisticated, high-quality content for both film and television. HSB most recently produced the Emmy(R)-nominated and BAFTA(R)-winning drama series "Taboo," which debuted in 2017 on BBC One and FX Networks. The series went on to become one of the most successful dramas ever on the BBC iPlayer in the UK and among the highest-rated new cable dramas of 2017 in the US. That same year, Hardy and Baker executive produced the critically-acclaimed documentary film TROPHY, directed by Shaul Schwarz and Christina Clusiau. Earlier HSB productions include "Poaching Wars," the 2013 UK documentary series for ITV that explored the devastating effect of wildlife poaching in Africa. The company's feature projects in development include the Bosnian war film MY WAR GONE BY, directed by Gavin O'Connor and based on the 1999 book of the same name by Anthony Lloyd, an English journalist and war correspondent; the highly anticipated screen adaptation of comic series 100 BULLETS for Warner Bros/New Line; an UNTITLED SHACKLETON PROJECT, based on the renowned British explorer Ernest Shackleton who lead multiple expeditions to the Antarctic; and an UNTITLED DON MCCULLIN PROJECT, based on the life of the legendary British war photographer. All projects originated at HSB. On the television front, HSB currently has two projects in development with Ridley Scott's Scott Free Productions and writer Steven Knight for FX and BBC One: "Taboo," the second season of the award-winning drama series, and "A Christmas Carol," the first in a series of adaptations of Charles Dickens' most iconic novels. The company also has several new scripted series for NBCUniversal in development, including screen adaptations for both Adam Hamdy's crime thriller "Pendulum" and Warren Ellis and Jason Howard's science-fiction graphic novel series "Trees." A number of additional developments are in the works across both film and television with an array of talented filmmakers, writers, and artists. 

Claes Bang Cast as Dracula in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Brand New Mini-Series for BBC One and Netflix

Claes Bang Cast as Dracula in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' Brand New Mini-Series for BBC One and Netflix
Three feature length episodes will re-introduce the world to Dracula, the vampire who made evil sexy.

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[via press release from BBC] Claes Bang is cast as Dracula
Award-winning Danish actor Claes Bang (The Girl in the Spider's Web, The Affair, Borgen) will take on the role of Dracula in Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' brand new mini-series inspired by Bram Stoker's classic novel.

Commissioned by BBC One, Dracula will be produced by Hartswood Films and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix.

Three feature length episodes will re-introduce the world to Dracula, the vampire who made evil sexy. In Transylvania in 1897, the blood-drinking Count is drawing his plans against Victorian London. And be warned: the dead travel fast.

Claes Bang says: "I am thrilled to be taking on the role of Dracula, especially when the script is in the hands of the incredible talents of Steven Moffat, Mark Gatiss and the team responsible for Sherlock. I'm so excited that I get to dig in to this iconic and super-interesting character. Yes he's evil, but there's also so much more to him, he's charismatic, intelligent, witty and sexy. I realise that there's a lot to live up to with all the amazing people that have played him over the years, but I feel so privileged, to be taking on this incredible character."

Hartswood and the Writers say: "It was one of those moments - who else could it be than Claes! He has it all. Brilliant, gorgeous, charismatic, lethal. Tall, dark and gruesome all at once. Hell has a new boss."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "Hell has a new boss... and BBC One has an outstanding new leading man. To say we have lucked out with Claes would be to underestimate the supreme talents of Steven, Mark and the team at Hartswood and their knack for choosing the right actor to redefine an iconic role. Seriously exciting stuff..."

Larry Tanz, Vice President, Content Acquisition, Netflix, says: "Claes will bring Dracula to life with chilling charm and evil elegance. With his talents and Steven and Mark's brilliant storytelling, Netflix members around the world will love to fear this dark and complex anti-hero."

Dracula was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. It is written and created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss; executive producers are Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue for Hartswood Films, Ben Irving for BBC and it will be handled by Larry Tanz for Netflix.

The series will premiere on BBC One in the UK and on Netflix outside of the UK.
Filming begins next year.
KP2

Claes Bang biography
Claes Bang is a Danish actor. Trained at Denmark's National Theatre School, he was a familiar face on stage and screen in Northern Europe before his breakout role as Christian in Ruben �stlund's The Square, winner of the 2017 Cannes Palme d'Or. The film was also nominated for an Oscar and Claes himself won Best Actor in the European Film Awards.

In 2019, Claes will be starring alongside Claire Foy in The Girl in the Spider's Web; opposite Elizabeth Debicki, Donald Sutherland and Mick Jagger in The Burnt Orange Heresy; with Guy Pearce in Lyrebird and Carice van Houten in The Glass Room. In The Bay of Silence, Claes will star opposite Olga Kurylenko and Brian Cox.

Television credits include Borgen and The Bridge and the German series Sibel & Max. He will be starring in Season 5 of the Showtime series The Affair.

Claes has appeared on stage throughout Northern Europe and in London at The St. James's Theatre and the Riverside Studios.

Fluent in five languages, he is also a talented singer, songwriter and pianist. 

Katherine Kelly and Sofie Grabol Join Sally Wainwright's BBC One Drama "Gentleman Jack"

Katherine Kelly and Sofie Grabol Join Sally Wainwright's BBC One Drama "Gentleman Jack"
"Gentleman Jack" is a Lookout Point production for BBC One, co-produced with HBO.

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[via press release from BBC] Katherine Kelly and Sofie Gråbøl join Sally Wainwright's BBC One drama Gentleman Jack, as a new image of Suranne Jones as Anne Lister is released

image: http://thefutoncritic.com/images/shows/bbc20181119.jpg
Katherine Kelly (Happy Valley, Mr Selfridge) and Sofie Gråbøl (The Killing, Fortitude) have joined the cast of Sally Wainwright's forthcoming eight-part drama Gentleman Jack. Gentleman Jack is a Lookout Point production for BBC One, co-produced with HBO.

Katherine Kelly plays Elizabeth Sutherland, the sister of Anne Lister's intended wife Ann Walker (Sophie Rundle), whilst Sofie Gråbøl will appear towards the end of the series as Queen Marie of Denmark. Her appearance will be shot on location in Copenhagen.

The news coincides with the release of a new picture from the series (above), featuring Suranne Jones in character as the remarkable Regency landowner. Filming on Gentleman Jack draws to a close in the weeks ahead, with the series due to air in 2019.

On joining Gentleman Jack, Katherine Kelly says: "I'm thrilled to be reuniting with Sally once again. I know how passionate she is about the life and times of Anne Lister, and I'm delighted to be portraying such a key historical character in Anne Lister's story."

Sofie Gråbøl says: "When asked if I would like to play the Queen of Denmark in Sally Wainwright's brand new series, I could not have said 'yes' fast enough! I'm excited to welcome the Gentleman Jack team to Copenhagen, and to film my scene as Queen Marie with the wonderful Suranne Jones."
Sally Wainwright, Gentleman Jack's creator, writer, and lead director says: "It's so exciting that Anne Lister's story has attracted such an extraordinary cast, and now we can add to that the unique talents of Katherine Kelly and Sofie Gråbøl! Anne Lister is taking us up to Scotland and across Europe!"
Kelly will be joined by Derek Riddell (Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, Gunpowder) as Elizabeth's husband, Captain Sutherland, and Veronica Clifford (Hurt By Paradise, GameFace) as mother-in-law Mrs Sutherland.

Also announced today are Sylvia Syms (Rev, One Night in Bath) as the Elderly Mrs Rawson, Brendan Patricks (Downton Abbey, Kiri) as the clergyman Thomas Ainsworth, Caspar Phillipson (Jackie, Mission: Impossible - Fallout) as Mr De Hagemann, Polly Maberly (EastEnders, Shakespeare & Hathaway) as Lady De Hagemann, Lucy Black (The Durrells, Jericho) as Mary Sowden, Stephanie Hyam (Bodyguard, Doctor Who) as Sophie Ferrall, Dino Fetscher (Humans, Paranoid) as Thomas Beech, Rupert Vansittart(The Children Act, Game of Thrones) as Charles Lawton, and Michael Xavier (Never Let Go, Into The Woods) as Dr. Steph Belcombe.

They join the previously announced extended cast, which includes Gemma Whelan, Timothy West, Gemma Jones, Stephanie Cole, Peter Davison, Amelia Bullmore, Vincent Franklin, Shaun Dooley,Joe Armstrong and Rosie Cavaliero.

Gentleman Jack (8x60') was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. The series is directed by Sally Wainwright, Sarah Harding and Jennifer Perrott, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO. Executive Producers are Sally Wainwright, Faith Penhale and Laura Lankester for Lookout Point, and Ben Irving for BBC One. The producer is Phil Collinson. 

Emma Thompson Cast in Russell T Davies' BBC One Drama "Years and Years"

Emma Thompson Cast in Russell T Davies' BBC One Drama "Years and Years"
The six-part limited series will air on HBO in the United States.

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[via press release from BBC] Emma Thompson cast in Russell T Davies' BBC One drama Years and Years
Emma Thompson joins Jessica Hynes, Rory Kinnear, Ruth Madeley, T'Nia Miller, Anne Reid and Russell Tovey as production for Years And Years begins in Manchester.

Red Production Company (a StudioCanal company) and acclaimed writer Russell T Davies are delighted to announce the dynamic cast for new BBC One drama Years And Years, a unique and ambitious six-part limited series charting one family surviving the future.

As Britain is rocked by unstable political, economic and technological advances, we follow the Lyons family as their complex lives converge on one crucial night in 2019. Then, over the next 15 years, the twists and turns of everyday life are explored as we find out if this ordinary family could ever change the world.

Two-time Oscar winner Emma Thompson (The Children Act, Late Night) stars in the family saga as Vivienne Rook, an outspoken celebrity turned political figure whose controversial opinions divide the nation. She's a new breed of politician, an entertainer, a rebel, a trickster, and her rise to power leads us into an unknown future.

Bafta-nominated Rory Kinnear (Spectre, Peterloo) joins Emma as Stephen Lyons, a financial advisor and the family's peacekeeper who is married to Celeste played by T'Nia Miller, (Obey, Marcella), an ambitious and opinionated accountant.

Russell Tovey (The History Boys, Quantico) will play Daniel Lyons, a hard-working housing officer and Stephen's brother. Their sister Edith, played by Jessica Hynes (Paddington 2, W1A), is radical, dangerous and calculating with a secret life. And completing the siblings is heavily pregnant Rosie, played by Ruth Madeley, (Cold Feet, Don't Take My Baby). Anne Reid (Last Tango In Halifax, The Mother) presides over the family as Muriel, imperial grandmother to the Lyons.

Russell T Davies says: "This is a dream cast, put together by Andy Pryor, the man who found Jodie Whittaker to be Doctor Who. I'm very lucky, and very excited to start filming."

The drama marks the ninth collaboration for acclaimed screenwriter Russell T Davies (A Very English Scandal, Doctor Who) and Red's Nicola Shindler, whose working relationship spans over 20 years. The partnership is known for producing relevant and timely emotionally charged dramas having previously created hit series including Queer As Folk, Casanova, Cucumber, Banana, Bob & Rose and The Second Coming.

Nicola Shindler CEO StudioCanal UK, Executive producer for Red Production Company, says: "No other writer could have written such an original, important and entertaining state-of-the-nation drama, with a family at its centre that an audience will want to spend time with. I'm thrilled a cast of this calibre will bring them to life."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama adds: "Russell T Davies is a master storyteller and we are utterly thrilled with this truly magnificent cast who are set to bring this unique and captivating family drama to life on BBC One."

Casey Bloys, President HBO programming, says: "HBO is thrilled to once again partner with the BBC and to be joining Red Production Company in showcasing the stellar work of Russell T Davies and Emma Thompson with this sweeping family saga which captures the spirit of our time."
Jean-Marc Juramie, Senior EVP, Pay TV Content of CANAL+ Group adds: "Canal+ is very excited to pre-buy this unique series for our line-up of foreign drama. This epic saga reuniting the acclaimed creator Russell T Davies and an A-list UK cast will appeal to our subscribers. CANAL+ is delighted to continue its ongoing and fruitful partnership with StudioCanal's Red Production Company."
Years And Years is a Red Production Company production, in co-production with BBC One, HBO and Canal+, commissioned for BBC One by Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, and Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content.

The 6x60-minute drama is created, written and executive produced by Russell T Davies, with Nicola Shindler and Michaela Fereday as executive producers for Red Production Company and Lucy Richer for the BBC. Series producer is Karen Lewis (Happy Valley, Last Tango In Halifax) and production commences this week in Manchester with Simon Cellan Jones (Our Friends In The North, Jessica Jones, Boardwalk Empire) as director and executive producer.
International Distribution will be handled by StudioCanal. 

BBC One and Netflix Team Up to Co-Produce Dracula from Sherlock Producers Hartswood Films

BBC One and Netflix Team Up to Co-Produce Dracula from Sherlock Producers Hartswood Films
The three-part mini-series is written and created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and inspired by Bram Stoker's classic novel.

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[via press release from Netflix] BBC ONE AND NETFLIX TEAM UP TO CO-PRODUCE DRACULA FROM SHERLOCK PRODUCERS HARTSWOOD FILMS

BBC One has commissioned Dracula from the co-creators of multi-award-winning hit BBC drama Sherlock. It will be produced by Hartswood Films and is a co-production between BBC One and Netflix.

The 3x90' mini-series is written and created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss and inspired by Bram Stoker's classic novel. Three feature length episodes will re-introduce the world to Dracula, the vampire who made evil sexy. In Transylvania in 1897, the blood drinking Count is drawing his plans against Victorian London. And be warned: the dead travel fast.

The series will premiere on BBC One in the UK and on Netflix outside of the UK/Ireland, and China where the service is not available. BBC Studios Distribution, who brokered the deal with Netflix for Hartswood Films, is the international distributor.

Co-creators, writers and executive producers Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss said, "There have always been stories about great evil. What's special about Dracula, is that Bram Stoker gave evil its own hero."

Charlotte Moore, BBC Director of Content, said, "Genius duo Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss turn their attentions to Dracula for unmissable event television on BBC One."

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama said, "Steven and Mark's ingenious vision for Dracula is as clever as it is chilling. In their talented hands the fans will experience the power of Bram Stoker's creation as if completely anew. We are thrilled to be collaborating with them and the brilliant team at Hartswood on yet another iconic British series."

Larry Tanz, Vice President, Content Acquisition, Netflix said, "We can't wait to bring Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss' brilliant storytelling to our members around the world and we are eager to collaborate on yet another series with the BBC."

Sue Vertue, Executive Producer, Hartswood Films said, "We are absolutely thrilled to be back at the BBC, and also delighted that Netflix are coming on board with Dracula. There's nothing like fresh blood."

Dracula was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama. It is written and created by Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss; executive producers are Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat and Sue Vertue for Hartswood Films, Ben Irving for BBC and will be handled by Larry Tanz for Netflix.

About Netflix
Netflix is the world's leading internet entertainment service with 130 million memberships in over 190 countries enjoying TV series, documentaries and feature films across a wide variety of genres and languages. Members can watch as much as they want, anytime, anywhere, on any internet-connected screen. Members can play, pause and resume watching, all without commercials or commitments. 

An Exceptional Extended Cast Joins Suranne Jones in "Gentleman Jack," Sally Wainwright's New Drama About the Remarkable Anne Lister for BBC One

An Exceptional Extended Cast Joins Suranne Jones in "Gentleman Jack," Sally Wainwright's New Drama About the Remarkable Anne Lister for BBC One
Filming on the HBO co-production will begin next month in and around West Yorkshire and on location in Copenhagen.

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[via press release from BBC] An exceptional extended cast joins Suranne Jones in Gentleman Jack, Sally Wainwright's new drama about the remarkable Anne Lister for BBC One

Stellar further casting has been announced for Gentleman Jack, the new eight-part drama created, written and directed by Sally Wainwright (To Walk Invisible, Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley). Gentleman Jack is a Lookout Point production for the BBC, co-produced with HBO.

Joining BAFTA award winner Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Save Me) as the remarkable Regency landowner Anne Lister will be Sophie Rundle (Bodyguard, Peaky Blinders) as Ann Walker, the wealthy heiress who Anne Lister soon sets her sights on marrying.

Gemma Whelan (The Moorside, Game Of Thrones) will play Anne Lister's sister Marian, with Timothy West (Last Tango In Halifax, Bleak House) as their father Jeremy Lister, and Gemma Jones (God's Own County, Bridget Jones's Diary) as Aunt Anne Lister.

Stephanie Cole (Waiting For God, Still Open All Hours) will play Ann Walker's Aunt. Peter Davison (Liar, Doctor Who) and Amelia Bullmore (Happy Valley, Scott & Bailey) will play William and Eliza Priestley, Ann Walker's cousin and his wife. Christopher Rawson, businessman and fierce rival to Anne Lister, will be played by Vincent Franklin (Cucumber, Happy Valley), whilst his brother and business partner Jeremiah will be played by Shaun Dooley (Gunpowder, Broadchurch).
Casting also includes Joe Armstrong (Darkest Hour, Britannia, Happy Valley) as Samuel Washington, Jodhi May (Genius, The Amazing Mrs Pritchard) as Vere Hobart, Rosie Cavaliero (Hold The Sunset, Unforgotten) as Elizabeth Cordingley, Thomas Howes (Downton Abbey, United) as John Booth, Lydia Leonard (Apple Tree Yard, Life In Squares) as Marianna Lawton, Jessica Baglow (Waterloo Road) as Rachael Hemingway, and newcomers Albane Courtois as Eugénie Pierre and Ben Hunter as Joseph Booth.

Sally Wainwright says: "I'm delighted that the story of Anne Lister has attracted such a talented, stand-out cast. We also have a wonderful crew on board and I can't wait to start filming".

After years of exotic travel, Anne Lister returns to Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1832, determined to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home Shibden Hall.

Every part of her story is based in historical fact, recorded in the four million words of her diaries that contain the most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is now broken. Many of the diary extracts have been decoded for the very first time for the series.

Gentleman Jack is a remarkable and unlikely love story, set in the complex, changing world of Halifax - the cradle of the industrial revolution. The drama will explore Anne Lister's relationships at home with her family, her servants, her tenants and her industrial rivals, who will use any dirty tricks they can to bring her down. At its heart is Anne's relationship with her would-be wife, Ann Walker. The series has all the warmth, wit, humour and complexity that audiences have come to associate with Sally Wainwright's writing.

The 8x60' series was commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning. It will be directed by Sally Wainwright and Sarah Harding, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO. Executive Producers are Sally Wainwright, Faith Penhale and Laura Lankester for Lookout Point, Ben Irving for BBC One, and Francesca Orsi and Kathleen McCaffrey for HBO. The producer is Phil Collinson.
Filming will begin next month in and around West Yorkshire and on location in Copenhagen. 

ON THE HEELS OF THE WILDLY SUCCESSFUL AND AWARD-WINNING SERIES “THE NIGHT MANAGER,” THE INK FACTORY, BBC AND AMC ANNOUNCE NEXT JOHN LE CARRÉ PROJECT — “THE LITTLE DRUMMER GIRL”

Florence Pugh to Star in the Park Chan-wook Directed Series; The series will be sold globally by Endeavor Content / IMG

London, England [8 November 2017] – On the heels of the BAFTA®, Golden Globe® and Emmy® Award-winning series “The Night Manager,” starring Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Laurie and Olivia Colman, The Ink Factory, BBC ONE and AMC announced today that the next project the three companies will be adapting into a six-part mini-series will be John le Carré’s best-selling literary masterpiece “The Little Drummer Girl.” The series will be directed by acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Old Boy, The Handmaiden, Stoker), marking his television debut. Florence Pugh (Lady Macbeth) will star. “The Little Drummer Girl” is set to go into production in January 2018. The series will be sold globally by Endeavor Content / IMG.

The series will be financed and produced by The Ink Factory in partnership with 127 Wall and co-producers the BBC and AMC. Laura Hastings-Smith (“Howards End”, Macbeth and Hunger) will work as Producer with Simon and Stephen Cornwell serving as Executive Producers alongside John le Carré, Mona Qureshi for the BBC, Joe Tsai and Arthur Wang for 127 Wall, and Wonjo Jeong. Hastings-Smith leads a world-class production team including Production Designer Maria Djurkovic (The Imitation Game, The Hours), Director of Photography Woo-hyung Kim (The Taste of Money, The President’s Last Bang), Casting Director Jina Jay (Darkest Hour, Rogue One), Costume Designer Steven Noble (The Theory of Everything, A Monster Calls) and Supervising Editor Lucia Zucchetti (The Queen, Their Finest).

“The Little Drummer Girl” has been commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, Kristin Jones, SVP International Programming for AMC and Sundance TV, and David Madden, President of Programming, AMC, Sundance TV and AMC Studios.

Set in the late 1970s, “The Little Drummer Girl” weaves a dynamic and exciting story of espionage and international intrigue; of love and betrayal. In this high-stakes drama, set against the background of rising tensions in the Middle East, a young, brilliant actress Charlie (Pugh) prepares for her ultimate role in ‘the theatre of the real’.

Park Chan-wook added: “Of le Carré’s many masterpieces, the one I love ahead of any other is “The Little Drummer Girl”. At the core of this story is an extremely painful, but thrilling, romance. This is what makes the story universal, reaching beyond borders and languages and remaining incredibly current. To adapt such a great work without losing its integrity, it needs the time and depth of a television series, and I am excited at the prospect of seeing how the drumbeats of Florence Pugh, the most energetic young female actor I have seen recently, will resonate with the audience.”
Simon and Stephen Cornwell, co-CEOs and Founders of The Ink Factory said: “With “The Little Drummer Girl” we are embarking on an extraordinary journey. It is exhilarating to see one of le Carré’s greatest novels take shape for the screen in the hands of such a brilliantly talented team. Park Chan-wook is a master filmmaker at the height of his powers. His passion for the project and his vision are utterly compelling. Florence Pugh is an exciting actor whose Charlie will lead us on a heart-wrenching journey, and the team behind the camera assembled under Laura Hastings-Smith’s steadfast leadership is unparalleled. We could not be more excited to be working with our friends and partners at the BBC and at AMC to bring “The Little Drummer Girl” to audiences around the world.”
Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, said: “We are thrilled by the extraordinary array of talents which The Ink Factory are assembling to bring this iconic le Carré story to the screen. The combination of Director Park’s passion for this title and the huge screen presence of Florence Pugh will make for a real drama event when “Little Drummer Girl” premieres on BBC ONE.”

“After the tremendous reception by U.S. audiences to “The Night Manager”, we are thrilled to be working again with The Ink Factory and the BBC on another brilliantly-plotted and deeply emotional John le Carré thriller, “The Little Drummer Girl”,” said David Madden, President of Original Programming for AMC, Sundance TV and AMC Studios. “Personally speaking, I read the book when it was published in the 1980s, and it’s frightening and thought-provoking to recognize how relevant the story still is today. Florence Pugh is a gifted actress who will make a stunning Charlie, and Park is a filmmaker of extraordinary vision whose entry into the world of le Carré-style espionage should be irresistible.”

Park is a film director, screenwriter, producer and former film critic who has emerged as one of the most significant talents in cinema in recent years. He is best known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst, The Handmaiden and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy consisting of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance.

Pugh recently starred as Katherine in critically acclaimed Lady Macbeth, which won her The Evening Standard Breakthrough of the Year Award. She also recently wrapped production on Fighting with My Family, based on the true story of WWE Superstar Raya Knight, played by Pugh. She is currently filming David Mackenzie’s Outlaw King, the story of Robert the Bruce, opposite Chris Pine, and is playing Cordelia in BBC/Amazon’s King Lear, directed by Richard Eyre and also starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson.

Park is represented by Industry Entertainment and WME; Pugh is represented by Julian Belfrage Associates and WME; and John le Carré is represented by Jonny Geller and Nick Marston at Curtis Brown.

About The Ink Factory
The Ink Factory is an independent studio based in London and Los Angeles, founded in 2010 by Stephen and Simon Cornwell. The team believes in reaching a wide audience by telling original and exciting stories, and working with storytellers and filmmakers who inspire, challenge and innovate. One of those collaborators is the author John le Carré, with whom the company has a close relationship. The company is working on a number of film and television adaptations of his work.
The Ink Factory is currently in post-production on Drew Pearce’s Hotel Artemis, starring Jodie Foster Sofia Boutella and Dave Bautista and is behind the Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning drama series “The Night Manager,” based on a le Carré novel of the same name for the BBC and AMC. The company is working on a television adaptation of “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” produced in association with Paramount TV for the BBC and AMC.

The company’s first film, A Most Wanted Man, based on the novel by John le Carré, was released in 2014. Past projects include Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, directed by Ang Lee and based on the award-winning novel by Ben Fountain, and Netflix Original Message from the King, a noir thriller by Stephen Cornwell and Oliver Butcher starring Chadwick Boseman, Teresa Palmer and Luke Evans, which premiered at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival.

The Ink Factory has also partnered with one of the games industry’s top talents, Matt Nava, to found digital studio Giant Squid. Giant Squid’s first game, the twice BAFTA nominated ABZÛ, was released in 2016.

About AMC
AMC is home to some of the most popular and acclaimed programs on television. AMC was the first basic cable network to ever win the Emmy® Award for Outstanding Drama Series with “Mad Men” in 2008, which then went on to win the coveted award four years in a row, before “Breaking Bad” won it in 2013 and 2014. The network’s series “The Walking Dead” is the highest-rated series in cable history and the number one show on television among adults 18-49 for the last five years. AMC’s other current original drama series include “Better Call Saul,” “Fear the Walking Dead,” “Into the Badlands,” “Humans,” “Preacher,” “The Son” and the forthcoming “Dietland,” “The Terror,” “Lodge 49,” and “McMafia.” AMC also explores authentic worlds and discussion with original shows like “Talking Dead,” “Talking With Chris Hardwick,” “Comic Book Men” and “Ride with Norman Reedus.” AMC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc. and its sister networks include IFC, SundanceTV, BBC America and WE tv. AMC is available across all platforms, including on-air, online, on demand and mobile.

About Endeavor Content :
Endeavor Content is a division of Endeavor, a global entertainment leader operating in more than 30 countries. Endeavor Content specializes in scripted television and feature film financing, development and sales on behalf of many of the world’s leading artists and content creators.

About Park Chan-wook
Park Chan-wook is a Korean film director, screenwriter, producer and former film critic who has emerged as one of the most significant talents in cinema in recent years. He is best known for his films Joint Security Area, Thirst, The Handmaiden and what has become known as The Vengeance Trilogy consisting of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy and Lady Vengeance.

Park’s incredibly diverse body of work has garnered recognition in his homeland as well as from a number of leading international film festivals. In 2011, the short film Night Fishing, which he co-directed with his brother, Park Chan-Kyong, and shot entirely with Apple’s iPhone, won the Golden Bear (Short Film) at the Berlin Film Festival. In 2009 Park received worldwide attention for his vampire thriller Thirst, which earned him the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. This monumental film was the first Korean film ever to secure North American distribution and Hollywood studio investment at the production stage. Lady Vengeance was awarded the Cinema Avvenire and Il Leoncino d’oro awards in competition at the 2005 Venice Film Festival. This was preceded by Oldboy, which won the prestigious Grand Prix at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.
Park’s interest in film began in college as a philosophy student at Sogang University where he founded a film club and developed a strong interest in film theory and criticism. His film Joint Security Area became the biggest box office hit in the history of Korean cinema at the time of its release (since then, the record has been passed on to other films).

In 2013, Park’s ninth feature and his first English language film Stoker starring Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode and Nicole Kidman was released worldwide by Twentieth Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures to critical acclaim world over.

He is also the producer of the feature film, Snowpiercer (2013), directed by Bong Joon-ho, with an international cast including Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner and Alison Pill, with John Hurt and Ed Harris.

In 2016, he was once again invited to Cannes with The Handmaiden which went on to win the Vulcan Prize. The film, which was inspired by Sarah Waters’ historical crime novel Fingersmith (2002), has proven to be a critical and box office success.

EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER TONI COLLETTE LEADS STELLAR CAST OF BBC ONE AND NETFLIX’S WANDERLUST

EMMY AND GOLDEN GLOBE WINNER TONI COLLETTE LEADS STELLAR CAST OF

BBC ONE AND NETFLIX’S WANDERLUST

From award-winning playwright Nick Payne, directed by Luke Snellin and produced by Drama Republic

Toni Collette (Little Miss Sunshine, The Sixth Sense, Miss You Already) stars in Wanderlust, a searingly insightful and funny exploration of the relationships of a multi-generational family.

Toni is joined by Steven Mackintosh (A Song For Jenny, Stan Lee's Lucky Man, The Halcyon), Zawe Ashton (Fresh Meat, Not Safe For Work, Case Histories) and Royce Pierreson (Line Of Duty, Our Girl, Murdered By My Boyfriend) in the six-part drama. Commissioned by BBC One and a co-production with Netflix, the series will premiere in the U.K. on BBC One and globally outside of the U.K on Netflix.

Wanderlust is the first television series scripted by award-winning playwright Nick Payne (Constellations, The Sense of an Ending, If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet) and is directed by Luke Snellin (The A Word, Our Girl, My Mad Fat Diary). Made by Drama Republic (Doctor Foster, King Charles III, The Honourable Woman), it looks at how we build and maintain happy relationships and asks whether lifelong monogamy is possible - or even desirable.

Wanderlust follows Joy Richards (Toni Collette) a therapist trying to find a way to keep her spark with her husband alive after a cycling accident causes them to reassess their relationship. As we meet her family, friends, neighbours and clients, remarkable yet relatable stories of love, lust and forbidden desire emerge.  

Toni Collette said: “I am honoured and thrilled to work with Nick Payne's wonderful words on Wanderlust. It is an authentic and revolutionary story about relationships, sex, love and all the things we really care about. I could not be more excited.”

Nick Payne said: “I'm over the moon to be working with Drama Republic, the BBC and Netflix.  And the cast - what a galaxy of talent.  Toni Collette is an astronomically adept performer, and someone I've long admired.”

Roanna Benn and Jude Liknaitzky, Executive Producers for Drama Republic say: “Toni was our dream casting choice for Joy – so we are pinching ourselves that it has become a reality.  It is such an honour to be producing a show with scripts as exciting as Nick Payne's and with such a stellar cast and crew.”

Piers Wenger, BBC Controller Drama Commissioning said: “Toni's natural warmth, complexity and wit combine to make her the perfect Joy. I'm delighted that she will be leading the cast in this bold and brilliant new series for BBC One. Nick's script's strike an utterly distinctive and original tone and I cannot wait to see them come to life in the very capable hands of director Luke Snellin and the outstanding team at Drama Republic.”

The Executive Producers are Roanna Benn and Jude Liknaitzky for Drama Republic, and Lucy Richer for the BBC. The 6x60’ series will be produced by Kate Crowther and was commissioned for the BBC by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and commissioned as a co-production for Netflix by Elizabeth Bradley and Alex Sapot, through a deal brokered by BBC Worldwide and Drama Republic. Filming has begun in Manchester.

Suranne Jones to Star in "Gentleman Jack," Sally Wainwright's New Drama for BBC One and HBO

Suranne Jones to Star in "Gentleman Jack," Sally Wainwright's New Drama for BBC One and HBO
The eight-episode series was previously known as "Shibden Hall."

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[via press release from BBC] Suranne Jones to star in Gentleman Jack, Sally Wainwright's new drama for BBC One and HBO
Suranne Jones (Doctor Foster, Save Me, Scott & Bailey) will lead the cast of Gentleman Jack (formerly known as Shibden Hall), in the forthcoming BBC One/HBO drama series created, written and directed by Sally Wainwright (To Walk Invisible, Last Tango In Halifax, Happy Valley).
Gentleman Jack is a Lookout Point production for the BBC, co-produced with HBO.
The Bafta award-winning Suranne Jones will star as Anne Lister, the remarkable landowner who - after years of exotic travel and social climbing - returns to Halifax, West Yorkshire in 1832, determined to transform the fate of her faded ancestral home, Shibden Hall. The series will be the latest collaboration between Suranne and Sally, following their previous work together on Dead Clever, Unforgiven, and Scott & Bailey.

Suranne Jones says: "I first worked with Sally 10 years ago and I remember the feeling of reading her scripts like it was yesterday. They were scripts for women; fresh, daring and bizarre in a wonderful, modern, fun, complex and challenging way. Now I once again get to speak the words of an almighty talent on a show I know she holds close to her heart.

"To have Sally direct me on this feels like I'll finally get to work on a project with her where the connection will be immediate, exciting and new each day, and we can enjoy that amazing ride together! I'm thrilled to be back at the BBC with this role and to be joining the Lookout Point and HBO family."

Sally Wainwright says: "I am delighted to be working with Suranne once again, not just as a writer this time, but as a director. Bringing Anne Lister to life with all her complexity, passion, brilliance and wit is an epic challenge that will require all the boldness, subtlety, energy and humour that I know only Suranne will bring to it."

To restore Shibden Hall to its former glory, Anne must re-open her coal mines and marry well. But this isn't just another Regency romance. Charismatic, single-minded, swashbuckling Anne Lister - who dressed head-to-foot in black and charmed her way into high society - has no intention of marrying a man. True to her own nature, she plans to marry a woman. And not just any woman: the woman Anne Lister marries must be seriously wealthy.

Every part of Anne's story is based in historical fact, recorded in the four million words of her diaries that contain the most intimate details of her life, once hidden in a secret code that is now broken.
Gentleman Jack is a remarkable and unlikely love story set in the complex, changing world of Halifax - the cradle of the industrial revolution - just as it's all kicking off. The drama will explore Anne Lister's relationships at home with her family, her servants, her tenants and her industrial rivals, who will use any dirty tricks they can to bring her down. At its heart is her relationship with her would-be wife, the wealthy heiress Ann Walker. It has all the warmth, wit, humour and complexity that audiences have come to associate with Sally Wainwright's writing.

Piers Wenger, Controller of BBC Drama, says: "Suranne is a screen actor of the highest calibre who brings wit, depth and attack to every character she plays. We are so fortunate to have her as our Anne. Sally's wonderful writing is in some very exciting hands."

Faith Penhale, Lookout Point Executive Producer, adds: "I can't think of anyone better to play the magnificent and mercurial Anne Lister - Suranne is one of Britain's most compelling screen actors; she is the perfect match for Sally's outstanding scripts and together they will create unforgettable television."

Gentleman Jack will begin filming next year, with further casting to be announced in due course. Suranne will next be seen on BBC One in the second series of Doctor Foster, airing this autumn.
The 8x60' series has been commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content, and Piers Wenger, Controller BBC Drama Commissioning.

It will be directed by Sally Wainwright, produced by Lookout Point for BBC One, and co-produced with HBO. Executive Producers are Sally Wainwright, Faith Penhale for Lookout Point, Piers Wenger for BBC One, and Francesca Orsi and Kathleen McCaffrey for HBO. The producer is Sanne Wohlenberg.

Suranne Jones is represented by Shepherd Management LTD in the UK and Grandview Management Corps in the US.

Notes to Editors
Suranne Jones - Biography
Suranne recently completed filming on both Save Me for Sky Atlantic, and the second series of BBC One's hugely successful drama Doctor Foster, in which she plays the title role.

Suranne's television work includes; Doctor Foster series one, for which she won the Bafta award in the leading actress category. Other recent television work includes five series of Scott & Bailey for ITV, plus The Brian Pern Show, The Crimson Field, Lawless, A Touch Of Cloth, Doctor Who, Unforgiven and Coronation Street.

Suranne's theatre credits include Top Girls at Chichester and then the West End, A Few Good Men at Theatre Royal Haymarket (Theatregoers' Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress), Blithe Spirit, and Terms Of Endearment. Suranne played the role of Sandra in beautiful thing at The Arts Theatre and in 2014 played the title role in Orlando at the Manchester Royal Exchange.

Lookout Point
Lookout Point is an independent drama production company that works with the UK's leading writing, directing and on-screen talent to produce bold and innovative television drama.
It is currently producing four major upcoming productions. Mike Bartlett's bold and provocative newspaper drama, Press, with BBC Studios and Deep Indigo for BBC One and Masterpiece on PBS; Sally Wainwright's period drama, Gentleman Jack (formerly known as Shibden Hall), about the quest by a lesbian landowner to find a wife in 19th century Yorkshire, co-produced with HBO for BBC One; Andrew Davies' adaptation of Victor Hugo's classic novel, Les Misérables, with BBC Studios and The Weinstein Company for BBC One; and Andrew Davies' adaptation of Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy, for BBC One.