Studiocanal & Benedict Cumberbatch Ready ‘How To Stop Time’ TV Series

Max Goldbart
Updated ·2 min read
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Studiocanal and SunnyMarch are to soon enter production on the Beneditch Cumberbatch-starring How to Stop Time, which has been rejigged from a feature to a TV series.

Studiocanal optioned the Matt Haig novel six years ago and was initially developing as a feature with Cumberbatch’s SunnyMarch, which it part owns. After a hefty hiatus, Studiocanal CEO Anna Marsh revealed at Mip TV today that the project will now be a six-part TV series, with Cumberbatch and SunnyMarch still attached.

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DC Moore (Sky/AMC’s Mary & George) and Tomas Alfredson (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) will write and direct respectively and filming will begin in London and across Europe next year.

The genre-bending book is a high-stakes superhero thriller about men and women who suffer from a rare condition that makes them live for hundreds and hundreds of years. Born in 15th century France, Cumberbatch’s Tom Hazard has time and time again lost everything he loves. More than 600 years on from his birth, he is caught in the middle of a secret war.

The show reunites Studiocanal with Cumberbatch, Alfredson and Robyn Slovo, who combined for 2011’s BAFTA winning and Academy Award-nominated Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.

“When I first read How to Stop Time, the potential of this story was immediately obvious,” said Cumberbatch. “In his inimitable style, Matt once again explores what it is to be human and what it is to live a life – a very long one in this case – with pathos, insight, humour, drama and inspiration.”

Marsh described the project as a “hugely exciting and ambitious series.” Studiocanal EVP Global Production Ron Halpern and SVP Global Production Joe Naftalin are EPs alongside Moore, Alfredson, Haig and Jamie Byng. Slovo is series producer alongside Cumberbatch, Ackland, Marshall and Clarke for SunnyMarch.

Studiocanal is also working on a feature version of Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library with A Very British Scandal indie Blueprint Pictures.

Studiocanal Confirms Strong Investment

Meanwhile, Marsh used her Mip TV keynote to confirm Deadline’s story from three months ago that the outfit is investing in Vigil EP James Strong’s Strong Film & Television.

Strong’s past credits include BBC submarine thriller Vigil, Broadchurch and ITV’s Liar and his new Bristol/London-based indie has a number of TV and film projects in development including The Out [working title], which comes from young writer George Kellock.

Strong has set up with EPs Loretta Preece and Matt Tombs and Marsh praised the trio’s “long-lasting relationships with UK commissioners and understanding of our European DNA.”

Strong added: “Loretta, Matt and I want to create contemporary, emotional and bold pieces that connect with international viewers as well as in the UK.”

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