STRIKE BACK TOO

[Update February 10] On the contrary to what was reported yesterday by several sources, we read that Cinemax would actually co-produce the second series with Richard Armitage PLUS Philip Winchester and Sullivan Stapleton. Not a distinct version. [http://simplytelevision.blogspot.com/2011/02/sky1hbo-co-producing-strike-back-s2.html + http://tv.sky.com/second-series-for-sky1s-strike-back]

[20.07 - French Time] HBO's sister pay-cable channel Cinemax will co-produce Sky1's Chris Ryan's Strike Back for its original programming, with British satcaster Sky and Left Bank Pictures (Zen, Wallander).

The 10 X 60-minute new series of Strike Back for Cinemax will be written by American scriptwriter Frank Spotnitz (The X-Files) and Brit scribe Richard Zajdlic (Eastenders, Clocking Off). Enter Sullivan Stappleton as Damien Scott, a former U.S. Special Forces operative, and Philip Winchester (Camelot, Crusoe). Filming starts this month in South Africa and Hungary and will go on until July for a premiere on the cable channel this summer.

Based on the best-selling book by former SAS man Chris Ryan, Strike Back stars Richard Armitage (Spooks) as John Porter. It is produced by Left Bank Pictures and distributed by BBC Worldwide. Sky1 HD and Sky1 aired Chris Ryan's Strike Back as a 6 X 60-minute drama in May 2010, and commisioned a second series in August. German channel RTL II aired the initial series last month in a 3 X 90-minute version.

Left Bank's Andy Harries and Sky1's Elaine Pyke will exec produce the new series. Daniel Percival (The State Within) and Frank Spotnitz will be co-executive producers. Percival directed the first four hours of the original series and will co-direct this one. Spotnitz has another British venture in the pipeline: Morton, a 8 X 60-minute spy series from Kudos Film and Television (Outcasts, Spooks), commissioned in January by BBC One.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/02/hbo-and-sky-partner-for-strike-back-action-series/
http://insidetv.ew.com/2011/02/09/cinemax-orders-24-meets-call-of-duty-action-series/

See also:

http://tattard2.blogspot.com/2011/01/chris-ryans-strike-back-on-rtl-ii-this.html