Yahoo News Amazon Snaps Up U.K. Rights to ‘Alex Rider’ from Sony, Eleventh Hour Films
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Amazon Prime Video has taken U.K. rights to coming-of-age spy thriller “Alex Rider,” which will launch on the platform in June.
Produced by Eleventh Hour Films and Sony Pictures Television, the show is based on the second novel in Anthony Horowitz’s “Alex Rider” novels, “Point Blanc.” All eight episodes of the series will launch on Amazon on June 4.
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The show was produced under a unique funding model that saw distributor Sony come on board in 2018 to fully finance the project without a lead commissioning broadcaster or platform attached.
The series stars Otto Farrant as Alex Rider, a London-based teenager who has unknowingly been trained since childhood to be a spy. Pressured to help investigate his uncle’s death, and how it connects to the assassination of two high-profile billionaires, Alex goes undercover in a remote boarding school called Point Blanc.
In addition to Farrant, “Alex Rider” stars Stephen Dillane as Alan Blunt, commander of The Department, a secret underworld offshoot of MI6; Vicky McClure as Mrs. Jones, Blunt’s second in command; Brenock O’Connor as Rider’s best friend Tom Harris; Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ as Jack Starbright; Ace Bhattii as Crawley; Marli Siu as Kyra and Andrew Buchan as Ian Rider.
Franchise author Horowitz serves as executive producer alongside Jill Green, Eve Gutierrez, series writer Guy Burt, and Andreas Prochaska, who also co-directed the series with Christopher Smith.
Chris Bird, head of content for the EU at Amazon, said: “We are thrilled to bring our Prime members this cinematic drama based on one of literatures most loved characters. Fans of the book franchise will be delighted to hear that this new series is created by Alex Rider author Anthony Horowitz, alongside outstanding talent both in front and behind the camera. We know that there is huge anticipation for this TV series imagining of an iconic book franchise, so we’re delighted to have secured this show exclusively for Prime members in the U.K.”
Horowitz added: “I was thrilled to hear that Prime Video will introduce the Alex Rider TV series to fans. This is such a huge, popular platform and feels like a natural home for the series. I hope that this is the start of a long creative partnership…with another twelve books ready to go.”
Wayne Garvie, president of international production for Sony Pictures Television, said: “At a time when the world is looking for heroes, who better to come to our aid than Alex Rider? We’re thrilled that Amazon Prime Video will be the place for Brits to watch one of their great local heroes take on global evil.”
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