ITVX Orders High-octane Thriller ‘Red Eye’ (Photo credits: Jing Lusi – David Reiss, Richard Armitage – Kaitlyn Mikayla, Lesley Sharp – Joseph Sinclair)
ITV has commissioned ‘Red Eye‘, a six-part adrenaline-filled thriller series, set between an all-night plane flight from London to Beijing and the corridors of power within Whitehall, starring Jing Lusi and Richard Armitage, with Lesley Sharp
Commissioned by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill, the high-octane drama comes from British screenwriter Peter A. Dowling (Black and Blue, Flightplan) in his television debut, and Bad Wolf, and will exclusively air on ITVX in 2024.
After attending a medical conference in Beijing and coming frighteningly close to dying in a car crash, Dr Matthew Nolan, played by Richard Armitage (Obsession, Stay Close) arrives home and is immediately arrested at London’s Heathrow Airport. Exhausted and confused, Nolan is accused of the murder of a woman who was in the car he crashed. Despite his protests that he was driving alone, Nolan is set to return to China to face charges.
DC Hana Li, played by Jing Lusi (Crazy Rich Asians, Gangs of London) is the no-nonsense, London officer charged with accompanying Nolan back to Beijing. Her resentment for this assignment, and of Nolan himself, is immediate. However, in flight, when a first death occurs, DC Li begins to suspect foul play. Further deaths confirm that Nolan is in danger, and after a call from MI5, Hana finds herself embroiled in an escalating conspiracy.
“Red Eye marks a turning point in British Asian representation and I am beyond thrilled and proud to be leading this series alongside the wonderful Richard Armitage,” said Lusi. “Bad Wolf is one of the most exciting production companies in the world, making some of the best-loved and most respected shows today; and I’m sure Red Eye will be breaking new ground.”
Back in London, we follow Hana’s sister, scrappy, Gen Z, reporter Jess Li, played by Jemma Moore, who is running her own investigation into Nolan’s extradition and finds herself running for her life from an unknown assassin. And in Thames House, the head of MI5, Madeline Delaney, played by Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty, Before We Die), breaks protocol and risks her entire career to not only help Hana and Nolan stay alive, but to expose an international conspiracy that seems to implicate both China and people in her own government.
“Red Eye is a brilliantly addictive thriller with an international story taking place on the red eye flight from Heathrow to Beijing,” said Polly Hill. “Thanks to Peter’s scripts, the story will have the audience gripped and continually surprised throughout. It’s got a fantastic cast led by Jing Lusi and Richard Armitage, and we are delighted to be working with Bad Wolf on this exciting new show.”
The series will be produced by Wales-based production company, Sony Pictures Television-backed Bad Wolf, founded in 2015 by Jane Tranter and Julie Gardner. Award-winning producer Julie Gardner (I Hate Suzie, Doctor Who) will Executive Produce the series alongside Lachlan MacKinnon (Industry, A Discovery of Witches). Fortitude and Power Book IV: Force Director, Kieron Hawkes, will direct all episodes in the series which is produced by Kristian Dench (The Capture, Strike Back).
The project has been developed and overseen by Bad Wolf’s Director of Content, Dan McCulloch (His Dark Materials, Endeavour). Sony Pictures Television will be responsible for the international distribution of Red Eye.
“Red Eye is Bad Wolf’s first contemporary action thriller and we’re so happy for it to have found its home at ITV,” said McCulloch. “We’re delighted to be working with such a talented cast. Peter’s scripts are the very definition of a page-turner and will keep you guessing to the last minute. The producing team aspire to the highest ambition whilst Kieron Hawkes’ craft and performance-focused direction all makes for true appointment to view TV.”
Bad Wolf is the multi-award-winning production company established to create ambitious, imaginative and relevant drama for the global TV marketplace. Enjoying a strong partnership and launched with support from Welsh Government, Bad Wolf founded and supported Wolf Studios Wales, a world-class production facility in Cardiff, and Screen Alliance Wales, an education and training scheme to engage with emerging talent to grow, nurture and build skills across the creative industries.
“I’m excited to be boarding Red Eye alongside Jing Lusi,” commented Richard Armitage. “This action-packed espionage thriller is one of the best scripts I have read in a long time. Thrilled to be reuniting with the brilliant Julie Gardner and the team at Bad Wolf and Sony… what a ride!”
‘Red Eye‘ does not yet have a premiere date, but will air on ITVX in 2024. If you want to keep track of this or any other show, you can add them via our Never Miss system, and you’ll be notified when it gets a UK premiere date.
