First look images released for the ground-breaking series starring Jude Law and Naomie Harris, which launches on 12 May 2020
A major collaboration between Sky Studios, HBO, Plan B, Punchdrunk and writer Dennis Kelly, The Third Day will be the world’s first immersive TV drama with an innovative live event staged as part of the series.
News of the unique mix of TV and live drama was announced today at Sky’s ‘Up Next’ content showcase, alongside the release of first look images for the series, which stars award-winning actors Naomie Harris and Jude Law.
Created by writer Dennis Kelly and Felix Barrett, artistic director of Punchdrunk, the ground-breaking project will tell three, stand-alone but interconnected stories, not only on screen but also in a live, immersive event.
The first part is ‘Summer’, starring Jude Law, written by Dennis Kelly and directed by Marc Munden. Told over three episodes, which will air on Sky Atlantic and streaming service Now TV, Summer follows the story of Sam (Law), a man who is drawn to a mysterious Island off the British coast where he encounters a group of islanders set on preserving their traditions at any cost.
Following ‘Summer’, viewers will get the chance to become part of The Third Day world at a major immersive theatre event. Created by Punchdrunk and directed by Felix Barrett, audiences will inhabit the story as it happens, live. Places will be limited, so audiences will be able to follow the events online.
The Third Day concludes with ‘Winter’: told over a further three episodes on Sky Atlantic and Now TV. Starring Naomie Harris, written by Kit de Waal, Dean O’Loughlin and Dennis Kelly and directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, it follows Helen (Harris), a strong-willed outsider who comes to the island seeking answers, but whose arrival precipitates a fractious battle to decide its fate.
Each story can be experienced separately, with Summer and Winter working together as a complete series – but all three parts together describe a larger narrative, creating a unique experience for those who seek it.
Co-creator Felix Barrett, Artistic Director at Punchdrunk explains: “To tell a story that spans TV and live action has been a long held ambition of mine. The Third Day will be both a TV show and a world you can enter, giving viewers the chance to live and breathe the narrative”.
Co-creator and writer, Dennis Kelly, says: “I wanted to make a series that was unsettling and disturbing but that also spoke to fears that ran deeper than horror. The themes of the Third Day have long been obsessions of mine – it is about loss and hope and how both of those things can distort the mind in surprising and brutal ways.”
Cameron Roach, Director of Drama, Sky Studios, says: “The Third Day is an imaginative and truly innovative series. The unique approach to storytelling is ground-breaking and we’re so proud to be able to share the compelling world created by Dennis and Felix with our audience and to invite them to truly experience the show in a game-changing way.”
Further details of the live event including how to apply for tickets will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Third Day is a co-production between Sky and HBO. It is the first original drama to be produced by Sky’s new production house, Sky Studios, in partnership with Plan B Entertainment, the world-renowned immersive theatre company Punchdrunk and writer Dennis Kelly (Utopia, Pulling).
The six-part limited series will air in May in the UK and Ireland on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW TV and in the US on HBO.
The Third Day is the latest in a string of recent commissions as Sky continues to invest in original productions. Sky has recently committed to more than double its investment in original drama, comedy and documentary through Sky Studios, the commissioning and production arm of Sky. Sky Studios brings to screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe and is the creative home of Sky’s award-winning and much-loved Sky originals.
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