Posted in: BBC, Preview, streaming, TV | Tagged: books, cable, discworld, endeavor content, Motive Pictures, Narrativia, novels, sir terry pratchett, streaming, television, terry pratchett, the watch, tv

Discworld: Narrativia, Endeavor and Motive Pictures Team for TV Series

Published Tue, 28 Apr 2020 12:37:08 -0500

by Ray Flook

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While BBC Studios may be the production house behind BBC America's eight-episode adaptation The Watch from the late Sir Terry Pratchett's (Good Omens) epic comedy/fantasy book series, Pratchett's production company Narrativia is looking to throw open the doors of "Discworld." On Tuesday, Narrativia, Endeavor Content and UK-based producer Motive Pictures announced an exclusive deal that will allow for "truly authentic" adaptations of Pratchett's novels that "remain absolutely faithful" to the author's intended vision. With 41 stories to its name, "Discworld" won't be running out of series possibilities any time soon. Introduced to readers in 1983's The Colour of Magic, Discworld is a flat disc world balanced on the backs of four elephants which in turn stand on the back of a giant turtle, Great A'Tuin.

The late Sir Terry Pratchett's "Discworld" novels are being developed for television, courtesy Narrativia and Penguin.

BBC America's eight-episode adaptation The Watch stars Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones) as Sam Vimes, a cynical, working-class street cop who battles dragons alongside werewolves, trolls, and zombies. Pratchett's stories often dealt with the constant struggles and conflicts between the fantasy world and modern civilization, using the rise of the Ankh-Morpork City Watch from a hopeless gang of three to a fully equipped police force as the backdrop to address a number of important issues. Written by Simon Allen (Strike Back, The Musketeers), Joy Wilkinson (Doctor Who), Catherine Tregenna (Torchwood), Amrou Al-Kadhi (Little America) and Ed Hime, the "punk rock" thriller focuses on City Watch as they fight to save their city from outside forces and itself.

Adam Hugill, Jo Eaton-Kent, Marama Corlett, Lara Rossi, Sam Adewunmi, Anna Chancellor, James Fleet, Ingrid Oliver, Ruth Madeley, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, and Bianca Simone Mannie also star. BBC Studios shares production with Narrativia, the production company founded by Pratchett in 2012 and now run by the author's daughter Rhianna Pratchett and his former business manager Rob Wilkins. BBC Studios' Head of Drama London Hilary Salmon (Luther, Silent Witness) will executive produce alongside Wilkins, Ben Donald, and Phil Collinson.