BBC and Netflix to Produce Watership Down TV Miniseries

[Vicky82]

First announced last year by British broadcaster the BBC and due to air in 2017, the four-part CGI miniseries will now see John Boyega, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult and Ben Kingsley voicing a group of rabbits — led by the brave Hazel (McAvoy) and visionary Fiver (Hoult) — with Netflix also having come aboard to premiere the drama globally outside the U.K.

A co-production between BBC One and Netflix, the new 4x1 hour interpretation of Watership Down is being developed and produced by growing U.K. production and management company 42 alongside Noam Murro’s Biscuit Films. Murro, who helmed Smart People and 300: Rise of an Empire, also is set to direct.

Written by BAFTA-nominated Tom Bidwell, the series also will feature the vocal talents of Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace), Freddie Fox (Pride), Anne-Marie Duff (Suffragette), Miles Jupp (The Thick of It) and Olivia Colman (currently seen on AMC's acclaimed spy thriller The Night Manager).

The novel, which was first published in 1972 and went on to sell more than 50 million copies, is set in the idyllic rural landscape of southern England and follows a band of rabbits on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries towards a promised land and a more perfect society.

"Before there was Harry Potter there was Watership Down," said the BBC's drama commissioning editor Matthew Read in a statement. "Richard Adams’ novel is one of the most successful books of all time and one of the biggest selling books in history. It is fantastic to have the opportunity to bring a modern classic to a mainstream BBC One audience with such an incredible roster of actors alongside the talented team overseeing the animation."

Added Larry Tanz, Netflix's vp global television, who also is serving as executive producer: "We jumped at the chance to get in early and work alongside the BBC and 42 to bring this classic English tale to our members around the world."

Rory Aitken, partner and exec producer for 42, suggested that adapting the story over four hours allowed them to "explore the characters from the novel and their adventure in a way not previously achievable on screen.”

Watership Down's CGI animation team is being led by co-director Pete Dodd (Fantastic Mr. Fox, Frankenweenie) and producer Hugo Sands, along with the animation studio Brown Bag Films, based in Dublin. It is being executive produced by Aitken, Josh Varney, Ben Pugh and Eleanor Moran for 42, Murro for Biscuit Films and Read for the BBC.

It will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

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This is pretty awesome, I can't wait to see it.

hopefully they won't air it on Easter Day

[ZariusTwo]

This will be the third revival, the last was a more kid-friendly CITV series that ran in the late 90s

[Vicky82]

Originally Posted by ZariusTwo

This will be the third revival, the last was a more kid-friendly CITV series that ran in the late 90s

Yeah it started in 1999 and ran for 3 seasons.

I used to watch the CITV series, Stephen Gately (RIP) Sang the song Bright Eyes and did the voice for 1 of the rabbits, Blackavar.

[TheBlueTurtle1]

I loved the movie, the series was ok. Looking forward to seeing what they do.

[Mayhem]

The original 1978 movie isn't perfect, and chopped a few bits to make the time properly, but it is generally regarded as being pretty close to the material, and actually a bit less child friendly as it should. It's also going to hard to top the voices of Briers, Hurt, Hawthorne, Simon Cadell, Kinnear, Denholm Elliott, Hannah Gordon, and Harry Andrews as Woundwort... although the currently revealed cast is pretty well rated.

Hence the recent "horror" (oh dear, someone think of the children) when it was aired on Easter Sunday and kids new to the film weren't prepped for how graphic it is at times

By comparison, when I first saw the film in the mid 80s, it didn't phase me that much. Kids are so much softer today

[Roseangelo]

Watershed Down is my favorite book, so I'm quite excited by the potential of this project.

And the movie never horrified me. I specifically went and sought it out after reading the book, so I already knew what to expect going in.