EPIX AND BANIJAY RIGHTS SECURE FIRST "SAS: ROGUE HEROES" DEAL FOR U.S. MARKET

Six-Part Series from 'Peaky Blinders' Creator Steven Knight to Premiere on EPIX in 2022

First International Deal for Major Kudos Drama

Photo credit: BBC

New York, NY - November 15 - Premium network EPIX today announced it has acquired the major new six-part limited series SAS: Rogue Heroes from global distributor Banijay Rights.

In a deal negotiated by Banijay Rights' Matt Creasey, EVP Sales, Co-Productions and Acquisitions, the acquisition marks the first international deal for SAS: Rogue Heroes.

Produced by Kudos and Nebulastar for EPIX and BBC, SAS: Rogue Heroes is a dramatized account of how the world's greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two. Based on Ben Macintyre's best-selling book of the same name, the series centers on David Stirling, an eccentric young officer, who is hospitalized after a training exercise gone wrong. Convinced that traditional commando units don't work, Stirling creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest, and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines. More rebels than soldiers, Stirling's team is every bit as complicated, flawed, and reckless as it is brave and heroic.

SAS: Rogue Heroes is developed for television and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo, A Christmas Carol) and will be directed by Tom Shankland (The Serpent, The Missing), with Stephen Smallwood (The Serpent, Patrick Melrose) as producer. The series is executive produced by Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd for Kudos, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. Commissioned by the BBC, SAS: Rogue Heroes will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Vigil) will play David Stirling, with Jack O'Connell (Skins, The North Water) as Paddy Mayne, Alfie Allen (Jojo Rabbit, Game of Thrones) as Jock Lewes, Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk, The King) as SAS Founding member Mike Sadler, and Sofia Boutella (Modern Love, Atomic Blonde) as Eve. Dominic West (The Wire, Appropriate Adult) will play Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke.

"Steven Knight and Kudos have created a gripping historical drama that complements EPIX's lineup of elevated, cinematic storytelling," said Michael Wright, President, EPIX & President MGM Scripted Television. "We're delighted to be teaming up with Banijay Rights to give this series an exclusive home on EPIX for the American audience."

"SAS: Rogue Heroes is a masterstroke of a series from the visionary Steven Knight, packed with a stellar cast who bring this fantastic story to life. We are thrilled that EPIX have come on board to take this fantastic drama to a wider US audience," said Matt Creasey, EVP Sales, Co-Productions and Acquisitions, Rest of the World, Banijay Rights.

Martin Haines, Co-Managing Director of Kudos added: "EPIX is a perfect partner that shares our vision and ambition. We are delighted they are our US partners on this epic show."

The series will also star Amir El Masry (Industry, The One), Theo Barklem-Biggs (The First Team, Carnival Row), Corin Silva (The Bay, Emmerdale), Jacob Ifan (Bang, The Accident), Dónal Finn (Cursed, The Witcher), Jacob McCarthy (The Last Summer, A.P. Bio), César Domboy (Outlander, The Walk), Michael Schaeffer (Chernobyl, The Salisbury Poisonings) and Miles Jupp (The Great, The Durrells).

ABOUT BANIJAY RIGHTS

Leading independent global distributor, Banijay Rights, represents a world-class, multi-genre portfolio of over 110,000 hours of standout programming. Leading distribution for the largest international creator and producer, Banijay, the division handles the exploitation of some of the planet's best scripted and non-scripted brands.

Representing quality, excellence and experience in the business of linear and non-linear television and ancillary activity across all platforms, Banijay Rights' catalogue encompasses a host of top titles from Banijay's 120+ in-house labels, and a number of third-party producers, spanning drama, comedy, entertainment, factual, reality, family, formats and theatrical.

Delivering high-quality IP, which was born locally and travels globally, the distributor offers the best stories told the best way. Its landmark brands include Survivor, Big Brother, MasterChef, Temptation Island, Grantchester, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Deal or No Deal, Versailles, Biggest Loser, Home and Away, Money Drop, Mr Bean and Black Mirror.

Built on independence, creative freedom, entrepreneurialism and commercial acumen, Banijay Rights operates under the direction of Chief Executive Officer, Cathy Payne.

ABOUT KUDOS

Kudos, part of Banijay UK, one of the world's leading TV production companies with a track record of producing distinctive and genre-defining drama. Committed to nurturing and celebrating writers, recent productions include Code 404 (Sky One), Grantchester (ITV), Two Weeks to Live (Sky One) and Ladybaby (BBC3), with major new series including SAS: Rogue Heroes (BBC One) and Then You Run (Sky) currently in production.

ABOUT EPIX(R)

EPIX(R), an MGM company, is a premium television network delivering a broad line-up of quality original series and documentaries, the latest movie releases and classic film franchises - all available on TV, on-demand, online and across devices. EPIX(R) has tripled the amount of original programming on the network and has become a destination for original premium content with series including  Godfather of Harlem,  starring and executive produced by Forest Whitaker; Pennyworth, the origin story of Batman's butler Alfred and drama  Chapelwaite,  based on the short story  Jerusalem's Lot  by Stephen King and starring Academy Award winner Adrien Brody; as well as upcoming premieres of western adventure series Billy the Kid; Sci-Fi horror series From produced by Midnight Radio and AGBO; season two of dramedy Bridge and Tunnel  written and directed by Ed Burns; season two of acclaimed spy thriller Condor, season three of epic fantasy drama series  Britannia; and music docuseries Mr. A & Mr. M: The Story of A&M Records. Other originals include Emmy(R)-nominated music docuseries  Laurel Canyon; docuseries Fall River, from Blumhouse Television; season two of  War of the Worlds, from Howard Overman and starring Gabriel Byrne and Daisy Edgar-Jones; sweeping historical drama Domina; docuseries  NFL: The Grind and NFL Icons, from NFL Films; docuseries Fiasco, based on the podcast of the same name; Belgravia,  from Julian Fellowes, Gareth Neame and the creative team from  Downton Abbey; docuseries Helter Skelter: An American Myth,  executive produced and directed by Lesley Chilcott; By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem; and Enslaved featuring Hollywood icon and human rights activist Samuel L. Jackson. Launched in October 2009, EPIX(R) is available nationwide through cable, telco, satellite and emerging digital distribution platforms as well as through its EPIX NOW app, providing more movies than any other network with thousands of titles available for streaming.

For more information about EPIX, go to www.EPIX.com. Follow EPIX on Twitter @EpixHd (http://www.twitter.com/EpixHD) and on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/EPIX), YouTube (http://youtube.com/EPIX), Instagram (http://instagram.com/EPIX) and Snapchat @EPIXTV.