“SAS: Rogue Heroes,” the new, six-part limited series from “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, will bow on MGM’s premium network Epix in the U.S.
Epix acquired the series from global distributor Banijay Rights. The deal was negotiated by Matt Creasey, EVP sales, co-productions and acquisitions at Banijay Rights. This is the first international deal for the series.
Produced by Kudos and Nebulastar for Epix and U.K. broadcaster BBC, who commissioned it, “SAS: Rogue Heroes” is a dramatized account of how Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed during WWII. 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.
Connor Swindells (“Vigil”) will play Stirling, and the cast also includes Jack O’Connell (“Skins”), Dominic West (“The Crown”), Alfie Allen (“Jojo Rabbit”), Tom Glynn-Carney (“Dunkirk”) and Sofia Boutella (“Atomic Blonde”).
The series will be directed by Tom Shankland (“The Serpent”), with Stephen Smallwood (“Patrick Melrose”) as producer. It is executive produced by Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd for Kudos, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC. The series will premiere on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the U.K.
Michael Wright, president, Epix and president MGM Scripted Television, said: “Steven Knight and Kudos have created a gripping historical drama that complements Epix’s lineup of elevated, cinematic storytelling. We’re delighted to be teaming up with Banijay Rights to give this series an exclusive home on Epix for the American audience.”
Creasey said: “’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 U.S. audience.”