Sky and HBO have announced War, a new legal thriller from the creator of The Long Shadow and Hijack George Kay, coproduced by New Pictures (Catherine the Great, The Long Shadow) and Kay’s Observatory Pictures, in association with Sky and HBO.
The series has been greenlit with a two-series commitment from Sky and HBO, following a deal brokered by Sky
Directed by Ben Taylor (Sex Education, Catastrophe), it will star Dominic West (The Wire, The Crown) as tech titan Morgan Henderson and Sienna Miller (Anatomy of a Scandal, American Sniper) as his estranged wife, international film star Carla Duval.
War follows two of London’s most prestigious rival firms – Cathcarts and Taylor & Byrne – as they go head-to-head in the divorce case of the century. Season one’s case is the first in an anthology of high profile legal battles.
George Kay said: “I am excited to be working with Sky and HBO – two homes for bold, ambitious storytelling – and our brilliant production team. War is a legal drama full of double crossing, scandal, twists and betrayal. The kind of TV show that made me want to write TV shows.”
Willow Grylls, Executive Producer and CEO of New Pictures, said: “George Kay has created an incredibly compelling cast of characters who will have audiences rooting for them, despite the underhand tactics, dirty tricks and win at all cost mentality they bring to battle against each other in – and out – of court. We are incredibly pleased to be trusted by Sky and HBO with a two series order to bring their stories to viewers around the world.”
Meghan Lyvers, Executive Director of Original Scripted, Sky, said: “We are thrilled to be working with George, Ben, Willow and team on War. The show is ambitious and provocative, brimming with unforgettable characters. It challenges the notions of power, identity, and success. We are proud to partner with New Pictures, Observatory Pictures and HBO on this distinctly modern drama.”
Francesca Orsi, EVP, HBO Programming, Head of HBO Drama Series and Films, said: “We’ve long admired George Kay’s exceptional work and it’s a privilege to bring him and his team to HBO for this wild and wicked examination of the brutal battlefield that is divorce. An inspired fusion of realism and satire, viewers are in store for gripping storytelling at its very best.”
George Kay’s work also includes series The Long Shadow and Litvinenko, which aired on ITVX, and Netflix show Criminal.
Also joining the cast are, Phoebe Fox (The Great, Task) as Serena Byrne and James McArdle (Playing Nice, Mare of Easttown) as Nicholas Taylor, partners in life and business at Taylor & Byrne; Nina Sosanya (Screw, Baby Reindeer) as “Her Majesty” Beatrice “Queen Bea” Ubosi, and Pip Torrens (Succession, The Crown) as St John Smallwood, their counterparts and fierce rivals at Cathcarts; and Archie Renaux (Alien: Romulus, Upgraded) as ambitious lawyer Jonathan “Johnny” Warren.
War is coproduced by New Pictures (an All3Media company) and Observatory Pictures, in association with Sky and HBO. The series is created, written and executive produced by George Kay, alongside executive producer Willow Grylls (Des, The Missing) and executive producer Matt Sandford (The Long Shadow) for New Pictures, Ben Taylor (Sex Education, Catastrophe), Susan Breen (The Woman in the Wall, Bad Sisters), Andrea Dewsbury, and Megan Spanjian for Sky.
War will air on Sky and streaming services Now/Wow in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, Switzerland and Austria, and on HBO and HBO Max in the US, and stream on HBO Max in Australia. International sales of the series will be handled by NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution.
Pippa Considine
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