[13.14 - French Time] Rupert Murdoch's Sky ambitions to be a major player on the British drama front, beyond one-off coups such as Skellig or short serials like Martina Cole's The Take. Chris Ryan's Strike Back starts next week and definitely wants to match US heavyweights of the action genre on TV.
Based on the multi-million best-selling book by former SAS man Chris Ryan, the 6 x 60-minute series stars Richard Armitage (Spooks, Robin Hood) as John Porter and Andrew Lincoln (This Life, Teachers) as Hugh Collinson. On the eve of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a Special Forces unit lead by John Porter is on a daring hostage rescue mission into the heart of Basra. But the operation turns into a disaster for Porter and Collinson and haunts Porter for years, until the discharged veteran finds an occasion to return to Iraq and redeem himself.
Shot in South Africa, Strike Back has been adapted by Jed Mercurio (Bodies) and is directed by Daniel Percival (The State Within) for the first four hours, and Edward Hall (Spooks) for the last two. It is produced by Left Bank Pictures (Wallander) for Sky1 HD and Sky1 and internationally distributed by BBC Worldwide.
The impressive cast includes Toby Stephens, Jodhi May, Orla Brady, and Colin Salmon. Author Chris Ryan is the co-creator of ITV's hit action/drama series Ultimate Force (2002-2008), which starred actor, author and journalist Ross Kemp.
Chris Ryan's Strike Back starts May 5 on Sky1 HD and Sky1.
http://sky1.sky.com/strike-back
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/blogs/action-gets-the-british-treatment/5013282.article
http://sky1.sky.com/strike-back-trailer
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7640678/Chris-Ryan-Im-not-sure-I-could-deal-with-Afghanistan.html
See also:
http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2010/03/sky-wants-13-episode-drama-series.html
Based on the multi-million best-selling book by former SAS man Chris Ryan, the 6 x 60-minute series stars Richard Armitage (Spooks, Robin Hood) as John Porter and Andrew Lincoln (This Life, Teachers) as Hugh Collinson. On the eve of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a Special Forces unit lead by John Porter is on a daring hostage rescue mission into the heart of Basra. But the operation turns into a disaster for Porter and Collinson and haunts Porter for years, until the discharged veteran finds an occasion to return to Iraq and redeem himself.
Shot in South Africa, Strike Back has been adapted by Jed Mercurio (Bodies) and is directed by Daniel Percival (The State Within) for the first four hours, and Edward Hall (Spooks) for the last two. It is produced by Left Bank Pictures (Wallander) for Sky1 HD and Sky1 and internationally distributed by BBC Worldwide.
The impressive cast includes Toby Stephens, Jodhi May, Orla Brady, and Colin Salmon. Author Chris Ryan is the co-creator of ITV's hit action/drama series Ultimate Force (2002-2008), which starred actor, author and journalist Ross Kemp.
Chris Ryan's Strike Back starts May 5 on Sky1 HD and Sky1.
http://sky1.sky.com/strike-back
http://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/blogs/action-gets-the-british-treatment/5013282.article
http://sky1.sky.com/strike-back-trailer
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7640678/Chris-Ryan-Im-not-sure-I-could-deal-with-Afghanistan.html
See also:
http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2010/03/sky-wants-13-episode-drama-series.html