British post-apocalyptic game ‘Atomfall’ is heading for television, with Rebellion teaming up with Two Brothers Pictures to develop a series adaptation.
The project is still in development, so this is not a full greenlight yet, but it is a pretty intriguing match-up. ‘Atomfall’ already feels like a distinctly British take on the apocalypse, mixing folk horror, sci-fi weirdness and that slightly uneasy sense that something has gone very wrong just over the hill in the countryside. Putting that in the hands of Harry and Jack Williams, the duo behind The Assassin, The Tourist, Boat Story and Fleabag producers Two Brothers Pictures, gives it some serious TV potential.
Set in an alternate version of northern England, the game unfolds inside a quarantined section of the Lake District following a nuclear disaster. The outside world is assumed to be carrying on as normal, but inside the zone things have become increasingly strange, hostile and deeply unsettling. Players wake up with no memory of how they got there and have to piece together what happened while navigating a landscape full of mystery, danger and some very British flavour.
That setting is a big part of what makes ‘Atomfall’ stand out. There have been plenty of post-apocalyptic dramas over the years, but this one leans into a very specific UK identity. It draws on the legacy of the 1957 Windscale nuclear accident, folds in echoes of classic British sci-fi, and adds just enough folk-horror energy to make the whole thing feel eerie and off-kilter. It is not hard to see why someone looked at it and thought, yes, that could absolutely be a TV series.
Harry and Jack Williams are writing the adaptation, with Jason Kingsley and Chris Kingsley executive producing for Rebellion. Alex Mercer (Doctor Who) is also attached as an executive producer for Two Brothers, alongside Ben Smith for Rebellion.
The timing makes sense too. Videogame adaptations are still having a moment on screen, but ‘Atomfall’ has the advantage of not feeling like a generic attempt to chase that trend. It has a strong concept, an unusual setting, and a tone that could translate really well if they keep hold of the game’s oddball British identity rather than sanding it down into something more standard.
Of course, it is worth stressing again that this is only in development right now, so there is still a long way to go before anyone gets to watch it. But as pitches go, a creepy Lake District sci-fi thriller from the producers behind some very sharp TV drama is a pretty solid start.
‘Atomfall’ is currently classed as ‘in development’ so may, or may not, make it to series. We’ll let you know when we hear more!
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