Tag Archives: Stuart Murphy

Sky bringing Sinbad into the 21st Century {TV}

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The search is on to find a leading man to play Sinbad in a contemporary re-imagining of the 8th Century legend for Sky 1 and BBC Worldwide.

The new Sinbad will be treading the line between Hero and Villain. On the run from his home town of Basra and under a curse for a killing that led to the death of his much-loved brother, the streetwise Sinbad finds himself cast out to sea. Surviving a violent and magical storm, both Sinbad and his intriguing fellow ship-mates are forced to band together to face their inner demons, hopes, loves and fears. Our flawed hero embarks on an epic and emotional quest to rid himself of the curse and embrace his destiny. “When mystical meets muscle anything can happen…”

Produced by Impossible Pictures (who also produced ITV’s Primeval), Sinbad is part of Sky1’s multi-million pound HD drama investment fund.

Elaine Pyke (Head of Drama, Sky 1) commented: “Our SINBAD is 21, reckless, utterly charming and cursed. Mysticism, magic, monsters and high octane action adventure, this SINBAD is always exciting and sometimes challenging. This unique series will have the ambition of LOST, the pace of 24 and take the viewer to visually stunning locations on both sea and land. Sky’s SINBAD will be a multi-layered series for today’s prime time audience.”

Sophie Gardiner (Exec Producer, Impossible Pictures) added: “This is a hugely ambitious project and we’re thrilled to partner with Sky to reinvigorate this much loved action hero. We’re confident that SINBAD will confound audience’s expectations and create a big, noisy series for Sky 1.”

Shooting is expected to start in February 2011 in Malta and Sinbad is scheduled for premiere on Sky 1 HD in Winter 2011.

Stuart Murphy also unveiled a whole host of new commissions and acquisitions including:

Dogumentary, A brand new observational documentary from the makers of Pinapple Dance Studios (Pulse Films) centres on the world of dog grooming salons, doggy day care centres and vets’ clinics where cameras will follow the people who work at them, as well as their clients. But in Dogumentary the stars of the show are the pampered pooches themselves, and these are no ordinary canines – they can actually talk. In surreal moments, the mutts talk to each other in funny and off-the-wall exchanges about their lives, loves and observations on the world.

Ross Kemp Extreme World. The BAFTA®-winning documentary team (Tiger Aspect) return as Ross Kemp reports from some of the most dangerous places on Earth. Over five hard-hitting episodes, Ross travels to Mexico, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan and Chicago to learn how international organised crime, terrorists and local criminal networks have created alliances that are destroying millions of lives. Plus, in a UK-based episode, he reveals the grim truth about people trafficking in Britain.

Prince William and The Tusk Trust Project (Working Title). In an exclusive 1hr long documentary by Spun Gold, presented by conservationist and adventurer Ben Fogle, Sky 1 HD gains unprecedented access to Prince William’s first official visit to Africa as he travels to Botswana, the home of wildlife conservation charity Tusk Trust. Marking the charity’s 20th anniversary, royal patron Prince William talks about his love of Africa, his passion for conservation and staying grounded, before challenging Ben to run a fund-raising marathon in Kenya.

Also announced are aquisitions from the US including: Raising Hope from the makers of My Name Is Earl. The Middle, from Warner Bros International about an ordinary family struggling to survive life – and each other – in Middle America. Ride-Along, A gritty new police drama from The Shield creator Shawn Ryan and Lone Star, a 20th Century Fox Production in which newcomer James Wolk is Robert/Bob Allen, a charismatic schemer who has meticulously constructed two lives for years without arousing any suspicions… until now.

This follows the news that Sky has agreed to become the UK home for HBO.

Sky 1 to become UK home for HBO {TV}

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BSkyB (Sky) and Home Box Office (HBO) have entered into a multi-year output deal which will see Sky become the home of HBO programmes in the UK and Ireland. The agreement is part of Sky’s ongoing mission to invest in standout content that differentiates the pay-TV experience and creates more reasons for customers to subscribe.

Under the agreement, all new HBO-commissioned programmes and series will be broadcast exclusively, and in HD, on Sky channels. The first HBO production to be seen on Sky as part of the output deal will be ‘Boardwalk Empire’, the much-anticipated Prohibition-era drama from acclaimed director and Oscar winner Martin Scorsese. With a cast including Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt and Kelly Macdonald, ‘Boardwalk Empire’ is scheduled to make its US debut on HBO in September 2010, with a UK and Ireland premiere on Sky to follow shortly after.

Future HBO productions to be broadcast by Sky will also include ‘Game of Thrones’, the fantasy drama based on the series of books ‘A Song of Ice and Fire’ by George R.R. Martin, and ‘Luck’, executive produced by David Milch and Michael Mann and starring two time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman. In addition, future seasons of existing HBO shows – such as ‘Entourage’ and ‘Big Love’ – will be broadcast exclusively on Sky channels in the UK and Ireland at the conclusion of their current broadcast rights agreements. 

 

Sky will also offer access to HBO programmes through its on-demand platforms, including the soon-to-launch Sky Anytime+ service.  In addition to availability of the new HBO productions airing exclusively on Sky channels, the on-demand services will offer access to HBO’s library of classic shows such as ‘The Sopranos’  and ‘Six Feet Under’.