Sony Pictures Television has announced an overall development deal with British historian Dan Jones, author of bestsellers such as “The Plantagenets,” “The Hollow Crown” and “The Templars.”
The deal will see Jones develop adaptations of his works for option by Sony Pictures Television’s stable of international scripted production companies, including Left Bank Pictures and Eleven. He will also act as a consultant for other productions across the group.
Jones’ books have sold more than a million copies. He collaborated with Brazilian artist Marina Amaral for “The Colour of Time” and “The World Aflame.” He has written and presented more than 60 hours of TV documentaries including Channel 5 show “Elizabeth I,” the BBC’s “Henry VIII and His Six Wives” and Netflix/Channel 5 series “Secrets of Great British Castles.”
Wayne Garvie, president of international production for Sony Pictures Television, said, “Dan has written some of the most popular histories of our time. Through him, readers around the world have discovered anew the Crusaders, Knights Templar, the Plantagenets and seen the past come alive in color. He has a terrific slate of future projects and our great range of companies are the perfect companions to bring his ideas to the screen.”
Jones said: “In a world rocked by massive global change there has never been a better time to make sense of it through history’s greatest stories. I have always written my books with a cinematic sensibility, so I’m delighted to have made a deal with Sony Pictures Television to develop my stories old and new for the screen.”