Scripted

Banijay Rights today announces a further landmark acquisition of major new six-part limited series Rogue Heroes, as MIPTV 2022 in Cannes draws to a close.

In a deal negotiated by Isabelle Queme, SVP French-Speaking EMEA at Banijay Rights, Rogue Heroes has been picked up by CANAL+ in France and for all CANAL+ territories around the world to broadcast in late 2022.

The agreement follows premium network EPIX’s acquisition of the drama for the US in November last year – the first international deal for the series – and further sales to HBO Max in Europe, Prime Video in Canada and SBS in Australia in early 2022.

Produced by Kudos and Nebulastar for the BBC – and entitled SAS Rogue Heroes in the UK market – the series is a dramatized account of how the world’s greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.

Isabelle Queme, SVP French-Speaking EMEA, Banijay Rights, said: “Steven Knight and Kudos’ magnificent Rogue Heroes continues to build huge momentum worldwide and we are beyond thrilled to secure this latest deal with CANAL+; taking this epic – and important - Second World War story to a whole new audience across France and all CANAL+ territories around the world.”

Jean-Marc Juramie, Senior EVP, Pay TV Content, CANAL+ Group, added: “We are thrilled to add this incredible event series from acclaimed writer Steven Knight to our line-up here at CANAL+. Our subscribers from all over the world will discover this important Second World War story about extraordinary men, whose stories have been further elevated by this outstanding cast.”

Martin Haines, Joint MD, Kudos, said: Rogue Heroes is a truly ground-breaking series created by the fantastic Steven Knight, and we are delighted that audiences around the globe will have the opportunity to watch what will be unmissable TV.”

Based on Ben Macintyre’s best-selling book, Rogue Heroes centres on David Stirling, an eccentric young officer, who is hospitalized after a training exercise gone wrong.

Convinced that traditional commando units don’t work, Stirling creates a radical plan that flies in the face of all accepted rules of modern warfare. He fights for permission to recruit the toughest, boldest, and brightest soldiers for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines. More rebels than soldiers, Stirling’s team is every bit as complicated, flawed, and reckless as it is brave and heroic.

Rogue Heroes is developed for television and written by Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders, Taboo, A Christmas Carol) and will be directed by Tom Shankland (The Serpent, The Missing), with Stephen Smallwood (The Serpent, Patrick Melrose) as producer. The series is executive produced by Karen Wilson, Martin Haines and Emma Kingsman-Lloyd for Kudos, and Tommy Bulfin for the BBC.

Connor Swindells (Sex Education, Vigil) will play David Stirling, with Jack O’Connell (Skins, The North Water) as Paddy Mayne, Alfie Allen (Jojo Rabbit, Game of Thrones) as Jock Lewes, Tom Glynn-Carney (Dunkirk, The King) as SAS Founding member Mike Sadler, and Sofia Boutella (Modern Love, Atomic Blonde) as Eve. Dominic West (The Wire, Appropriate Adult) will play Lieutenant Colonel Wrangel Clarke.