Sky 1 announces new Original Productions for 2018
Details
Joseph O'Halloran
| 25 August 2017

As part of its stated ambition to bring viewers British drama that is “full of action, adventure and incredible characters, featuring some of the UK’s best actors”, pay-TV giant Sky has announced new original productions.

Slated for release in 2018, the drama series begins with third series of Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and then new series Bulletproof.

In the former, James Nesbitt returns as Detective Inspector Clayton in a third instalment of Stan Lee's Lucky Man, while BAFTA winning Noel Clarke (Adulthood and Kidulthood) and award-winning actor and rapper Ashley Walters (Top Boy, So Solid Crew) team up as a detective duo in new police drama Bulletproof.

In the third chapter of comic book legend Stan Lee's creation, DI Harry Clayton is in Hong Kong, looking for answers about his legendary ‘lucky’ charm where he comes up against underworld characters who have their eyes on more than just his bracelet. Joining James Nesbitt are show favourites Amara Karan, returning as DS Suri Chohan, Sienna Guillory as Eve and Stephen Hagan as Rich Clayton. Based on an idea from world-renowned comic book writer Stan Lee and POW! Entertainment, Stan Lee’s Lucky Man is produced by Carnival Films, the multi-award winning makers of Downton Abbey, The Last Kingdom and recent Sky 1 success, Jamestown. The series is distributed by NBCUniversal International Distribution. Richard Fell and Gareth Neame will executive produce for Carnival Films.

In their first series for Sky 1, Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters play police duo Bishop and Pike, two close friends but very different people. Said to be packed full of humour, action and emotion, the show centres on the relationships between fathers and sons and is about friendship, conspiracies and ghosts from the past.

Bulletproof is produced by Vertigo Films, the makers of The Football Factory, Monsters, The Sweeney as well as the upcoming Sky Original Production series Britannia; and Company Pictures (The White Princess, Wolf Hall, George Gently). It is created by Noel Clarke, Ashley Walters and Nick Love (The Football Factory). International distribution is to be handled by Sky Vision. Executive Producers are Allan Niblo, Michele Buck and Judy Counihan and the producer is Jon Finn.

Both Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and Bulletproof were commissioned by director of Sky 1, Adam MacDonald, Sky’s head of drama, Anne Mensah and Sky’s drama commissioning editor, Cameron Roach.“Stan Lee’s Lucky Man and Bulletproof are exactly the kind of bold drama that Sky 1 viewers love,” MacDonald remarked. “We’re in for quite the ride in this next chapter of Lucky Man and like the show’s million-strong fan base, I can't wait to see the return of James Nesbitt as Detective Inspector Clayton. With Bulletproof we have an ambitious story and in Noel Clarke and Ashley Walters, we have two fantastic actors to bring our police duo, Bishop and Pike, to life.”

Stan Lee’s Lucky Man 3 and Bulletproof start filming in September 2017 and will be available only on Sky 1 and TV streaming service NOW TV in the UK and Ireland in 2018.