‘The Midwich Cuckoos’: Keeley Hawes & Max Beesley To Star In Sky Original Adaptation From ‘The Night Manager’s David Farr
Sky has found the leads for their upcoming adaptation of John Wyndham’s classic science fiction novel ‘The Midwich Cuckoos‘ from ‘The Night Manager’ and ‘Hanna’ writer David Farr, with Keeley Hawes & Max Beesley set to star.
Midwich, a small English commuter town, is liberal and aspirational, populated by nuclear families and affluent high streets. A place where nothing much happens – and for a very good reason. That is until the twilight hours of a summer’s day when a sleepy corner of Midwich is plunged into panic. People pass out on their feet without warning, without reason. Anyone who tries to enter meets the same fate. And nobody can understand why. When the mysterious blackout is lifted, life for those affected returns to apparent normality – except every woman of child-bearing age inside the zone has suddenly and inexplicably fallen pregnant.
As news spreads and tensions simmer, it is up to gifted psychotherapist Dr Susannah Zellaby (Hawes) to help support those affected through the emotional wilderness. Susannah’s own daughter, Cassie (Synnøve Karlsen – ‘Last Night In Soho’, ‘Clique’), has fallen pregnant and harbours deep concerns about who, or what, is behind this phenomenon.
Local officer DCI Paul Kirby (Beesley) is tasked with maintaining order but unbeknownst to them all, a terrifying force is building in the comfortable streets of Midwich. These children – potential parasites – flourish under the very love and care that their families give them. Who are these children? And what do they want?
The perpetually busy Keeley Hawes has recently been starring in ‘Finding Alice’ for ITV, the spectacular ‘It’s a Sin’ for Channel 4, ‘Year of the Rabbit’, also for Channel 4, and ‘Summer of Rockets’ for the BBC. Prior to that, she concluded a four-season run on ITV’s ‘The Durrells’.
Max Beesley most recently popped up in HBO’s brilliant mini-series ‘The Outsider’ based on the Stephen King novel, and has been playing one of the leading roles in Sky’s ‘Jamestown’. He’s also popped up in ‘Empire’, ‘Flack’, ‘Homeland’ and ‘Strike Back’. He’s next signed up on an upcoming Guy Ritchie project alongside Jason Statham, Hugh Grant, Aubrey Plaza and Josh Hartnett.
Alongside Hawes, Beesley, Karlsen, the series also stars Aisling Loftus (‘A Discovery of Witches’), Ukweli Roach (‘Blindspot’), Lara Rossi (‘Robin Hood’), Lewis Reeves (‘I May Destroy You’), Rebekah Staton (‘Raised by Wolves’) and Anneika Rose (‘Line of Duty’).
“I first read The Midwich Cuckoos when I was twelve. I was living in a small town in 1980s Britain. Everything about the book rang true to me and terrified me. An invasion of a small community by a hostile and ruthless force. Apparently innocent children as a force of huge malevolent power. It got under my skin,” comments writer and creator David Farr. “As I’ve grown older, the story has never ceased to exert a grip. The idea that we may birth our own destruction is so simple and frightening. That as a mother or a father, the being we love most in the world may turn on us. It’s the stuff of nightmares.”
‘The Midwich Cuckoos’ was commissioned for Sky by Zai Bennett, Sky UK’s Managing Director of Content. Manpreet Dosanjh is the Commissioning Editor for Sky Studios. The series is written by David Farr, Sasha Hails, Namsi Khan and Laura Lomas. Alice Troughton (‘Baghdad Central’, ‘Cucumber’, ‘A Discovery of Witches’) is the lead director, with Jennifer Perrott (‘Gentleman Jack’, ‘Doctor Who’) serving as director. The series is produced by Route 24 and Snowed-In Productions in association with Sky Studios. The executive producers are Marc Samuelson and Robert Cheek for Route 24 and Ruth Kenley-Letts and Neil Blair for Snowed-In Productions. Series producer is Eliza Mellor (‘Poldark’, ‘Behind Her Eyes’).
“I’m absolutely delighted to be working with Sky and the brilliant Ruth Kenley-Letts on David Farr’s superb adaptation of The Midwich Cuckoos,” adds Keeley Hawes “I’m very much looking forward to working with the hugely talented Max Beesley and the amazing cast and I can’t wait to enter the strange and unsettling world of Midwich!”
‘The Midwich Cuckoos‘ will premiere on Sky One and NOW in the UK and Ireland.
