EXCLUSIVE: Natasha Lyonne and Matt Berry are co-creating and starring in a buzzy retro series for Sky titled Force & Majeure.
Produced by Lyonne’s Animal Pictures and Objective Fiction, the show is described by Sky as a “retro-infused, playfully irreverent take on the classic TV action-adventure detective genre.”
Force & Majeure follows a British art expert, Thomas Force (Berry,) and American mercenary Jennifer Majeure (Lyonne). The pair are recruited by an eccentric, justice-obsessed billionaire named Amanda Daventry and find themselves tasked with defeating the evil plans of international villains operating in locations across Europe. But as Force & Majeure team up to defeat the forces of evil, they must also work together to escape the clutches of Amanda, who may not be telling them the whole story. More casting is anticipated in due course along with launch date.
The buzzy series is created by comedy writer Tom Scharpling (Monk, What We Do in the Shadows) alongside Berry and Lyonne. It is written by Scharpling, Iain Morris (The Inbetweeners, Time Bandits) and Cirocco Dunlap (Russian Doll, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy).
Force & Majeure is co-produced by Objective Fiction, the All3Media-owned scripted outfit behind the likes of The Gold for the BBC and Paramount+, and Channel 4’s Year of the Rabbit, which starred Berry. Lyonne’s Animal Pictures, which recently struck a first-look deal with Black Doves producer Sister, is also co-producer.
Landing Lyonne and Berry is a big coup for UK pay-TV giant Sky. Lyonne leads Rian Johnson’s Peacock detective series Poker Face, which also airs on Sky, and created Netflix’s Russian Doll with Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland. Berry is a well-known British comic who has had success on both sides of the pond with What We Do in the Shadows, Toast and The IT Crowd.
Force & Majeure is a big bet for Sky and hasn’t yet found a U.S. buyer. Peacock and Sky, both of which are owned by Comcast, co-produce multiple shows including The Day of the Jackal. NBCUniversal Global TV Distribution, another Comcast stablemate, will handle international sales of Force & Majeure on behalf of Sky Studios.
Force & Majeure is produced by Objective Fiction and Animal Pictures in association with Sky Studios. EPs are Ben Farrell and Hannah Mackay for Objective Fiction, Lyonne and Max Ferguson for Animal Pictures, Berry, Scharpling, Morris, Dunlap and Alex Moody for Sky.
Lyonne is repped by Dar Rollins and Lauren Fox at CAA. Berry is repped by Rachel Rusch at CAA and Sam Fox at B-Side.
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